Relatives In Descent
Relatives In Descent gives Protomartyr’s post-punk more room to move. The playing remains forceful, but the arrangements change shape around Joe Casey’s voice. Greg Ahee’s guitar can sound distant and shadowy before becoming much more direct. Scott Davidson’s bass and Alex Leonard’s drums give those shifts a firm centre. The clearer sound makes the details easier to follow without making the music feel comfortable.
A Private Understanding opens with a clattering sense of momentum. Casey sounds driven rather than polished, using his words to add pressure to the band’s playing. The Chuckler finds a different balance, setting a high, ringing guitar melody against a darker atmosphere. The song is memorable without removing the tension around it.
My Children develops its force more gradually. Slower guitar and heavy drum patterns establish a restrained opening before the band increases the pace and weight of the riff. The change gives the track a real sense of movement. It also shows why the musicians matter as much as the voice: the arrangement shapes how the words land.
Night-Blooming Cereus offers another spacious beginning and builds around a repeating vocal phrase. These quieter passages give the record more range than a constant attack would allow. Casey’s writing remains dense, but the band can underline his unease through changes in texture and intensity.
That density sometimes works against the songs. Several turns feel less clearly connected, and following the words and arrangements together can become tiring. Still, Relatives In Descent has enough strong playing and clear individual moments to reward the effort. Its best tracks make the complicated structures feel purposeful, giving the record both physical weight and an unsettled, thoughtful character.
