Ill at Ease

"I cant believe the apocalypse is taking so long," Preoccupations Matt Flegel sings on Ill at Ease. Though this band has made a career out of the tension of hoping for and dreading the end in equal measure -- their name is Preoccupations, after all -- their fifth album brings fresh, often moving, perspectives to times of crisis. Instead of the murky sonics that made Arrangements an occasionally challenging listen, Ill at Ease is crafted from glassy layers of guitars and electronics that let listeners get close to Flegels voice and words. As on New Material, this blend of polished sounds and brooding lyrics suits Preoccupations well, and "Focus" reaffirms their skill at pairing classic-sounding post-punk riffs and hooks with striking imagery all their own (in this case, broken centrifuges). Ill at Ease might offer the most organic blend of the bands winding experimentalism and not-so-secret pop leanings, with shifting, shadowy tracks like the title track and the ode to obsolescence "Retrograde" in the former camp and "Andromeda," a hand-clapping, finger-snapping tale of universes colliding, firmly in the latter. Similarly, the way Ill at Eases songs express both aspects of its title -- acceptance as well as discomfort -- make the album a special one in Preoccupations body of work. Over the percolating synths on "Bastards," Flegel realizes that his "sundried bones" and those of his enemies "will probably look the same." Though the band started out as noisy post-punks, they get a remarkable amount of mileage out of softer sounds on Ill at Ease. "Panic" makes free-floating anxiety sound seductive, and Flegels vocals meld empathy and sensuality on "Krem2," the apocalyptic slow dance that closes the album. Carefully crafted but not overworked, Ill at Ease isnt just some of Preoccupations most consistent music -- its a welcome companion for times when the world seems like its ending. ~ Heather Phares