Aereogramme Album: “Story in White”

I was a huge fan of Ganger, the exceptionally underrated Scottish post-rock beast, and was patiently looking forward to this release, for if it even captured a small part of Craig B's work in Ganger, it would be worth it. I have to admit that this album has floored me in the few weeks that I've had it, but not in the same way Ganger did. The absence of that band's coiling rhythm section means that the songs are driven more by lyrics and melody rather than constricting the rhythms to the breaking point, and while that was Ganger's major strength, Aereogramme has easily made up for it with its approach.

Effectively, the juxtaposition of ornate beauty and terrifying noise that Mogwai capitalizes on is used to great effect here, but it is combined with more slightly more straightforward song structures, the "rock" songs reminding slightly of mid-period Hum. The songs aren't verse-chorus-verse, but lyrics dominate the album, so it's hard to call them a fully traditional post rock band. Also, Craig B's lyrics are quite interesting, largely discussing faith and the ambiguous loss of it.

The shredding guitar and hardcore screaming that mark the spine-tingling moments of "Post Tour, Pre Judgment" and "Zionist Timing" are mirrored by gentle piano, subtle guitar flows, and Craig B's soft, likeable voice. Few bands can write melancholic slower songs as well as they write downright rock songs, and this is Aereogramme's major strength. The poignancy of "Motion" and "Hatred" are not to be underestimated, and the coupling in several songs of this style with the serrating edge of overdriven guitars comes to fruition in "The Question is Complete" and several others.

This is a fantastic album. It doesn't feel overwhelming in terms of the experimentalism, since most of the songs have the buoy of tradition lyrics, and it never falls into any ruts. The three extra tracks on the US version are all tremendous as well. All in all, a well deserved five stars.

Somehow it didn`t surprise me at all when i found out that Aereogramme come from Scotland after I`d heard the album. It simply confirmed that the Scotts keep providing the rock scene with some of the most interesting and truly alternative groups in recent times (check out Arab Strap. or Ruby, or of course Mogwai). What does surprise me is that a group like that isn`t immediately picked up by a label like Chemical Underground, they would fit it like a glove...

Aereogramme rely on sound contrast and they seem to have mastered that recipe. They go from dark and melancholic Radiohead-like scapes to gut-turning metal passages (!) and back to synthie drones and effects all in a song`s work. It's anyway super difficult to categorise these people as they are definately doing their very own thing and, damn, what a thing that is too!

With a singer who resembles (both visually and vocally) Phil Collins but who has about 10 billion times more talent than Phil, with a rhythm section than can rock like a b***h but also mellow down to reveal depression hymns and melancholy odes, and with musical ideas that are probably too intelligent for the current MTV generation these Scotts are winning bets all the way...

So why aren`t they megabig yet???

Well, who cares and since when does that matter? Since when does size matter alltogether? (save it , save it)...

As long as Aereogramme remain "small" it`s almost guaranteed that their sound will retain the incredible quality of "A story in white"..It seems to work that way with groups like them doesn`t it?

Do discover them.

It's fun to be so non-mainstream that you're freinds don't even know you while still being cool. That's what this album does for you. It blew my eyeballs out of my sockets and my skull fell out through my ears. It was really that good. One CD with music for all your moods. They sure look at you strangely when you buy this one at the CD shop.