Reviewing new albums from household favorite bands is always a little daunting. Bent Knee is one of my wife’s favorite bands, and I’m a big fan, as well. We’ve seen them live several times, and have been blown away each time. The band is back with a new release called Twenty Pills Without Water, which launches on August 30th.
Bent Knee has been through some changes. The Boston-based band lost two of its founding members after the last album, leaving only four behind: Courtney Swain on vocals, keys, and bass; Gavin Wallace-Ailsworth on drums; Chris Baum on violin, backing vocals, and guitar; and Vince Welch on synth, guitar, bass, and production. For what it’s worth, though, I think they sound better than ever.
The band plays music that can bear many labels, and maybe also none. They certainly play a complex rock sound that leans into indie, alternative, and art rock. They certainly have an avant-indie sound. Their music is layered with filters and effects typically, and they play some complicated pieces and mess around with song structure and various tones. However, they also know how to write a powerful and melodic song that hits all the right moods.
The members they lost were guitarist Ben Levin and bassist Jessica Kion. You will notice, then, that the guitarwork is quite different. Ben had a math rock, extremely experimental style, and I’ll be honest and say that I never really liked it. Jessica’s bass was also very complex. The band is more grounded than that now. The guitar work is more alternative this time, and used somewhat sparingly, and the bass has less energy and more introspective power.
Courtney’s voice isn’t autotuned to oblivion, like on their last record Frosting, and the band doesn’t feel the need to throw in completely unnecessary twists and turns that often end up hurting the beauty and melodic strength of the song. On the last album, and even on some older ones, I often felt like gorgeous melodies were being constructed, only to have distracting post-production elements or unnecessary shifts in the song destroy what was being built. The band’s best songs have always been the ones where Courtney shines.
Furthermore, the band has amplified Chris’ violin, which is an excellent choice. He’s fantastic, and provides a layer of strings that brings warmth and beauty to the mix, and even quirk at times. I should mention also that most of the songs include stringed accompaniment from guest performers using cellos and violas, which adds yet another layer of richness. Finally, I want to mention how incredible Gavin’s drums are on this album; his performance is monstrous, dynamic, and absolutely rocks. I’ve always thought he was a great drummer, but he just keeps getting better.
The album has 12 tracks. It has an intro and an outro to set the mood, both of which show the band dabbling in ambient music, and an odd intermission called “Cowboy”, which is technically a song that leans towards the silly side. I’ll also note that each half seems to end with the biggest and best songs. In the first half, we get “Forest”, a roaring and soaring piece with terrific drums and spiraling, intense vocals; “I Like It”, a catchy piece that feels like a love song; and “Illiterate”, one of the singles that I find myself singing often. Yet, the first half closes with “Big Bagel Manifesto”, what will probably become one of my favorite Bent Knee songs. It is a hovering, atmospheric piece with 80s style and haunting vocals, and a second half that absolutely rocks. It’s one of those songs that feels heavy even though it is more about drums and keys and spellbinding vocals than guitars.
The second half runs in a similar fashion. “Never Coming Home” is another single, this one being my favorite of the three. I love the groovy beat and the catchy chorus with the hovering strings. “Comet” is an ambient lead-in to “Drowning”, a peaceful and haunting piece that showcases Courtney’s voice up against atmosphere and strings mostly. It is absolutely beautiful, and I would love to see it live. “Lawnmower” is another single, and while it is catchy and rock solid, I find myself more absorbed by the interesting, relatable lyrics. The second half ends with “DLWTSB”, another amazing piece. This one has lots of synth, and so feels very 80s. I love the playful vocals and the build up to the center; the song shifts at that point and even more synth and bass drop into the mix. It is such a fun and groovy way to end the album, and the outro “Exit” takes it directly from there.
For me, Bent Knee is back and better than ever. Twenty Pills Without Water is like emerging from a dense forest to see a sunny vista. Maybe you could see bits and pieces of it along your journey, but you couldn’t see the full picture for all the trees and distractions. But when you finally get out, you feel like you are both home and witnessing something new at the same time. I love this album and the way it is structured and organized. I love the big payoff moments, the catchy choruses, and the seemingly more mature way of layering in interesting effects without detracting from the experience and melody. All of them lay down terrific performances, memorable even. I think fans will be very pleased with this album.
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