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There was a time when Absolutely seemed poised to become one of Milwaukee’s defining punk bands. The group’s 2011 debut Learns to Love Mistakes was one of the freshest punk albums to come out of the city in years, a vibrant, volatile grab bag of math-rock, post-hardcore, emo and grunge that teased one new possibility after the next. If you haven’t listened to it in a while, go back and treat yourself. It still sounds remarkable.
Learns to Love Mistakes was a big tent record; if you have any fondness for any of those sounds, you were bound to find something to love about it. But in the years since Absolutely have narrowed their approach. Their albums became murkier, moodier, more instrumental. They’re still making some great music, but it’s no longer for everybody. They’re a niche band now.
As much as I miss the anything-can-happen spirit of their debut, as somebody who loves the Hoover/Faraquet/Unwound lane of post-hardcore that Absolutely ultimately devoted themselves to, I still feel spoiled by the band. And given how infrequently the group has performed the last few years, and their long stretches of inactivity, it always feels like a minor miracle whenever they manage to regroup for a new album.
Their latest, Plays Pillory Crown Shyness, is no exception. It’s their most immersive album yet, and while it’s less stylistically varied than their debut, the band finds plenty of room to experiment within the confines of the sound they’ve settled on. Opener “Son” builds to a lovely splash of piano, while a sharp melodica cuts through “Pipeline Lament.” And despite the record’s methodical pacing, its payoffs are huge. “Paradigm” is an absolute ripper, and “Cower” closes the record on a note of sheer, unguarded catharsis with one of singer George Ananchev’s rawest performances. Plays Pillory Crown Shyness requires some patience, but it’s worth the investment.
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You can stream the record below, via Bandcamp.
