Mekons – Horror

Fire

Whilst seeing the Mekons sign to Fire Records raises the hope of some long-overdue archival curation for the amorphous Leeds-forged post-punk veterans’ sprawling and sporadically available back catalogue, first comes a brand new album, in the shape of Horror.

Recorded in Spain, away from their now globally-scattered homes, the group’s extended latter-day line-up, built around — but not subservient to — the long-running core membership of Jon Langford, Sally Timms and Tom Greenhalgh, have delivered an eclectic exemplar of well-matured musical mind-melding.

Although there are strong conceptual undercurrents, focusing in and around the history of the British Empire, which give the material lyrical heft, it’s the galvanised ensemble arrangements, rich studio textures and multi-voiced approach that make Horror such a satisfyingly expansive yet fat-free selection box of songs.

From the skanking and rousing opener of “The Western Design” inwards, the genre-blending agility is on full display. Hence, we’re spun through balmily-twisted sea shanties (“Sad And Sad And Sad” and “Sanctuary”); “Gimmer Shelter”-gone-folk-rock grittiness (“Glasgow” and “Mudcrawlers”); languid reflections (“Fallen Leaves”); Gang Of Four-meets-Fugazi agit-prop jaggedness (“War Economy”); atmospheric Laurie Anderson-infused interluding (“A Horse Has Escaped”); semi-spoken dubby deconstructions (“Private Defense Contractor” and “Surrender”); soaring Pogues-like anthemics (“You’re Not Singing Anymore”); and airy dream-pop (“Before The Ice Age”).

Rather in contradiction to its title, Horror proves to be a vibrantly cohesive and inviting affair. Gratifyingly, it finds the Mekons heartily putting the heart back into communalist creativity, amidst anxiously atomised times.

-Adrian-