A Loathsome Smile - Struggle Sessions
The industrial punk Frenchman has returned with a new album. While it’s disappointing it’s dwd Volume 2 to Fantasy For Another Time, it’s cool to see the artist venture into unknown territories. Sadly, the album recycles many ideas from previous releases, and the result is a mixed bag
Despite Struggle Sessions being his weakest release, there are plenty of admirable moments. Situationist Medley is one of Smile’s best songs. The anarchistic soundscape detours in a comical, satisfying manner, before it unwinds, only to release pure chaos in the form of disjointed EDM. Midsommar follows the same pattern, though instead ends in prog-rock bliss. The Infinite Jest has a stunning progression and performance. It’s great to see A Loathsome Smile lean further into his vocals, switching between a barrage of prog-rock and mellowing out with sweet serenades. The same could be said for the equally impressive Age Of Contempt. Lastly, Run And Play Dead boasts some seriously creative songwriting; perhaps the only song where Smile breaks his own conventions. Had only this detour in his discography been as inventive. The song alone saves the album from the “Average” category. A similar detour can be heart on Kiki’s Lullaby; another standout for the same reason. Unfortunately, the remaining album is borderline cheesy, overlong and self-indulgent. Unlike previous releases, the prog-rock elements are the weakest, while the classic-rock sections are the strongest, though its industrial prog-rock elements are impressive.
The palette of instrumentals is easily Smile’s best, as is the mixing and overall production. The large assortment of instrumentals is equally as impressive, featuring almost every acoustic instrument imaginable. Unlike De Blimp’s Shamblerone, however, the instruments don’t add much to the overall atmosphere; they often feel included for the sake of it. This accentuates Struggle Sessions’ major flaw; there’s hardly a thread to tie everything together. The songs are incredibly impressive on their own, though it’s lacking the coherence of Fantasy for Another Time, Volume 1; every song strives to be dramatic and outdo the previous, without accommodating the ebb and flow of the entire experience. Considering how gorgeous some of the synthetics are on Struggle Sessions makes the experience that much more disappointing, if only they were utilised in more meaningful compositions. Hopefully Smile is just procrastinating on Fantasy for Another Time, Volume 2.
Listen to it here:
Above Average
https://aloathsomesmile.bandcamp.com/album/struggle-sessions
A Loathsome Smile - Struggle Sessions
