Afterlives - A Ticking Clock I Couldn't Stop

Afterlives . A Ticking Clock I Couldn’t Stop . 2009. 4 stars.

This is a strange, lonesome and intensely personal debut from Connecticut’s William Barett. His project Afterlives consists of haunting lo-fi dirges that move from sparse guitar passages to squalls of droning noise, providing many jarring moments to catch the listener off guard. While it is clear that this album is a loosely knit sample of ideas, there are some stirring gems to found here. "Ever the Optimist" is one of the finer examples of how Afterlives can usurp expectations. Loose, jangly riffs dissolve into a wall of noise as Barett screams over the storm, yearning for hope and resolve in a darkening world.

"Still Lakes " is a stunningly vulnerable piece with distant, weepy vocals and sorrowful acoustic strums that move towards a resonant chorus that pushes the song into slow,  pulsating psychedelia. Sounding broken down and alone, Barett’s voice trembles across the yawning chasms lying between soft percussive beats, as the plodding guitars foretell imminent doom. It’s a subtly powerful song that seeps in ever so slowly, drawing you into the fractured psychology of its author. A clear highlight of this disc.

Songs like "Fireworks" move dreamily along as wiry riffs play hypnotically against harmonized vocals and slow-burning distortion before rising to an inevitable climax. "Distance Runner" follows with spacey atmospheric effects, shimmering post-rock guitars and unsettling vocalizations that buzz in the background. Other experiments, like the cacophonous drone exercises on "Sanderban Tigers" and "I Am the Heroic" provide occasional shocks to the system, shaking off sad stupors with blasts of blind catharsis.

Taken in its entirety, Afterlives’ debut is both brave and perturbed, weaving noisy experimentation with intimate, heart-tugging revelation. While its highlights are distinct, the entire work should be admired for its artistic abandon and honesty. The crackling home-recording aesthetic has offered Mr. Barett a unique vehicle to expose his darkest demons. For those fascinated by the post-rock amalgamations of Have a Nice Life, be sure to track down this brother project.

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