Further Out
Further Out gives Cloakroom's slow, heavy guitar sound enough melody to make its weight inviting. Doyle Martin sings with restraint while the instruments fill the surrounding space with distortion, bass and firm drumming. The approach is consistent and often effective. It also creates the album's main problem: the same qualities that make the sound appealing can leave neighbouring songs feeling too similar.
Paperweight makes a substantial opening. Its textured guitar sound and long development establish the scale of the record, with the voice providing a gentler presence inside it. The arrangement asks for time rather than immediate movement. Its appeal comes from the relationship between a clear melodic centre and the force surrounding it.
Outta' Spite brings a welcome increase in energy. The rhythm moves more freely, making the song stand apart from the slower material. The difference is useful without taking the band out of their own sound.
Lossed Over makes another strong impression through the combination of a memorable hook and a slow, forceful setting. Moon Funeral uses the quieter singing in a different way, with vocal harmonies adding another texture beneath the guitars. Cloakroom are most convincing when these melodic details give their large sound something specific to support.
Asymmetrical brings a less settled rhythmic character. The uneven movement adds interest to the drifting guitar textures, making the playing more active than the relaxed surface might suggest. Later, Clean Moon and the extended Deep Sea Station move towards a calmer, more atmospheric setting.
The warm, dense recording holds the album together, but the consistency can become restrictive. Martin's subdued delivery and the recurring guitar weight do not always produce equally distinct songs. Several passages are easier to enjoy for their texture than to remember afterwards. A little more contrast would give the strongest melodies greater room to register.
Further Out remains an engaging record with a recognisable character. Its best songs make the slower pace feel purposeful, giving the heavy playing a strong melodic reason to exist. The complete sequence is less varied than those highlights promise, but the guitar sound and patient hooks are worth exploring.
