by Jen Bender (@JennifaBenda)
Philary is the solo project of Alex Molini (Pile, Jackal Onasis, Stove), who has cultivated an artful combination of heaviness and harmony on I Complain. Molini melds sludgy, bass-driven riffs with catchy and melodic vocal lines (with some help on guest vocals by Becca Ryskalczyk of Bethlehem Steel); it’s a winning combination, and yet it is performed here in a way I haven’t quite heard before. The tracks are dense, with moments of levity interwoven. Each song is just long enough to articulate an idea, to grab our attention, but is succinct enough to maintain the album’s forward momentum, which is apparent from its first track.
The record begins with “The Unclearness is Very Clear,” an ode to the uncertainty that artists constantly face. Yet, despite the uncertainty in its lyrics, the track’s riffs keep it moving forward in what feels like an act of defiant determination. This pattern repeats through the record; themes involving change and anxiety persist in the lyrics and are swallowed by the density of the riffs that surround them, aided by the emotive vocal lines. Despite the nature of these themes, it is hard to read defeat in Molini’s songwriting. If anything, the tracks feel like an acceptance, and an attempt to make sense of the strange, harsh, humorous, and unpredictable ways that life touches us. The final track, “Yay, Let’s All Go” feels more hopeful to me than any of the others, but what I like most about this record is that this last track doesn’t necessarily feel like an ending. When I listen to the album more than once through at a time (as I’ll often do, considering how quickly it goes by), I’ll sometimes get to the third or fourth track before realizing it’s ended and started again. It plays into itself seamlessly, and reminds me that these feelings - whether they be of dread or hope - are cyclical.
I Complain is fresh and exciting even now as we rapidly approach the one-year anniversary of its release. Emotional content aside, it is a monstrous-sounding record and a great deal of fun to listen to. Despite its inherent heaviness it still evokes a great deal of joy. It is a go-to record for me when I need a pick-me-up, and has remained a favorite since I heard its first single more than a year ago. I hope to hear this record performed one day as a full band; it might just be the ideal cathartic sound we’ll crave when humans are allowed to enjoy live music together again.