Birthmarks＜Cloudy Clear Vinyl＞

Bambaras sound has evolved from murky noise rock to a more streamlined, hook-heavy, gothic post-punk style which foregrounds Reid Batehs venomous narratives and seedy character studies. Birthmarks, the bands first full-length since 2020s excellent Stray, was co-produced by Graham Sutton of Bark Psychosis, who adds a bit more of an atmospheric layer to the groups music without sacrificing its essence. Batehs voice sounds a bit more worn and weary, not unlike latter-day Nick Cave, and it feels like theres an increase in electronic textures, but otherwise the band is sticking to their stock-in-trade, down to writing melodies which sound familiar to their body of work. That said, there is more of a conceptual storyline to this album, involving a character named Elena and the man who murdered her boyfriend. Opener "Hiss" is punctuated with sudden guitar bursts as well as unexpectedly tender moments. "Letters from Sing Sing" is more driving and frantic, resembling the bands version of a chase scene. The sly, swaggering "Face of Love" has touches of shoegaze guitars and trip-hop rhythms, and "Elenas Dream" is a hazy lounge sequence featuring a spoken narrative by Madeline Johnston (Midwife). "Dive Shrine" has a trippy, noise-shocked industrial groove, and the twilit, drum machine-driven "Smoke" is lighter and dreamier, yet still has its cathartic, crashing moments. The album ends with the anthemic "Loretta," a frenzied rush of thoughts which seems to encapsulate the bands entire aesthetic and approach to songwriting. ~ Paul Simpson