Alt-J have done it again: released an album that transcends the confines of a genre, conventional lyrical approaches and expected instrumentation. It is easy to call them art-rock or avant garde, but when you force yourself to forget the mainstream wisdom usually applied to contemporary music, it appears that alt-J’s This Is All Yours is just the product of three musicians collaborating to create an aesthetic that makes the most sense to them.
After alt-J released An Awesome Wave, high expectations were immediately bestowed upon them for their second LP. On This Is All Yours, the trio ventures beyond their original sound of strange percussive elements, electronic production and a cappella vocals. We travel with the band through the world of “Nara,” listening to how they have embraced the meaning of the symbol that their name represents: change.
Every song on This Is All Yours fulfills the presupposed expectations, as each record hails from a different genre and expresses its own completely individual sound. “Intro” pulls you straight from An Awesome Wave into the new album, with a cappella vocals and an expansive soundscape. Right as you are getting comfortable in your seat and preparing for another An Awesome Wave however, you are taken to the orchestral world of “Nara” and then, immediately following, to the mid-1970s rock world with “Left Hand Free.”
“Garden of England” is an interlude similar to those found on alt-J’s first album: an instrumental track featuring one instrument, in this case a flute, creating a beautifully natural riff that splits the album perfectly into two parts. “Hunger of the Pine” imports hip-hop inspired beats and vocal samples, sung by the one and only Miley Cyrus; the next three tracks then taking us to the Midwestern United States styling of folk music, highlighted by “The Gospel of John Hurt” and “Pusher.”
This Is All Yours completes the journey with “Leaving Nara,” an atmospheric tour de force of alt-J’s musical style. The band gives us the orchestral conclusion to their second album, leaving listeners begging for more and, once again, awaiting the next album.
The contrast used throughout This Is All Yours is the factor that sets alt-J apart from the clogged avenue of alternative bands. Like all great musicians, the usage of dark and light, loud and quiet from one track to the next and even within each track proves that This Is All Yours deserves to be considered one of the best releases so far this year.
With This Is All Yours, alt-J hands anxiously awaiting fans a sincere message: they are not afraid to embark on a journey of change and exploration of sound.
Rating: B+
