by Eric Foreman (@ericforemanDPT)
Over a decade into their partnership, Kelley Deal and Mike Montgomery feel continuously in sync. Having met while Deal was completing a Guided By Voices tribute, the two have extensive history as friends, colleagues and musical partners. Pulling from their individual artistry – Deal from the Breeders and Montgomery from Ampline – R. Ring represents a satisfying detour that allows for at will experimentation and forward-thinking jams. The duo’s second studio album War Poems, We Rested continues the progression of their sound, occupying the ghastly, the punk and the melodic all in one.
The tracks on War Poems have been completed for years. The record, originally planned for 2020, became obvious victim to the resulting artistic halt of the pandemic. Three years later, nearly unchanged, the songs stand firmly as they were – unafraid to remain against changing times. The duo’s weathered experience with songwriting allows a comfortable backbone to each song, drawing the listener in close to the macabre and to the serene. Opener “Still Life” crashes with haunting coo’s over pounding drums. Deal sluggishly whispers “All I need is a cigarette/and someone to pay the rent” over slurred guitar and marching snare. This gothic sludge transitions to an ethereal listlessness as the full band returns in the second half of the track. This is picked up in “Exit Music” which never leaves the otherwordly. The steady keys provide a foundation for distant dings and whirls, all floating around Deal’s affected vocals. While this combination of sounds feels like a haunting ode sung in edges of consciousness, “Stole Eye” begins as more straightforward serenade. During the pandemic, Montgomery and his family welcomed a new child and his soft singing over the initial palm muted guitars would sound right in place as a nighttime lullaby. New to this release is the addition of Montgomery’s lead vocals, which add a softness to the melodic center of the record. On “Likeable,” he and Deal croon sweetly over the lazy sway of the guitar and drums. Deal’s airy harmonies and Montgomery’s more relaxed tone fit comfortably without either stepping too far in a direction.
While R. Ring is naturally the creative foundation to the record, a few other musicians/artists have touches throughout – contributing unique additions to each song. Notably, drummer Laura King (Bat Fangs) adds tasteful fills and driving rhythms on each of the tracks. She opens “Hug” and tightly tethers to the beat underneath the fuzzed guitar and soft vocals. On first single and highlight “Def Sup,” King wrote and recorded the bass and drum intro that continuously pushes the track forward. The guitars and vocals trade off melodic prominence until the dissonant guitar solo crashes through the middle eventually cooling back down to bass and drums as the song closes. Another interesting collaboration comes from poet Matt Hart, who submitted each song from the record to different a poet, artist or writer (including Hanif Abdurraqib, and Lee Ranaldo from Sonic Youth among others) to create poetry or prose for each track. This invites loving interpretation from peers and friends of the band alike to deepen the artistic core associated with band.
While most of the lyrical quality sends towards simple and direct, final track “War Poems” opts for wordlessness. The track quietly swells, gesturing towards crescendo but never fully realizing it. The musicians working in somber tandem to provide a more serious sounding finale to an otherwise fairly playful release. Throughout War Poems, Kelley Deal and Mike Montgomery pull together an engaging record that emphasizes their collaboration with themselves and others. This results in a quick but enjoyable listen that highlights two seasoned creatives showing what they do best.