PEABODY
Prospero
(Nonzero/Shock)
There’s a certain abstract delight to be taken from Sydney indie-rockers Peabody’s decision to name their third album Prospero. The juxtaposition of the band’s bluntly simple-minded name and the vaguely intellectual/cultural affiliations of their album title (which, while meaning ‘riches, good fortune’ in Latin, also plays a pivotal role as a character in Shakespeare’s The Tempest) is not without its own perverse, post-modern appeal. The juxtaposition, however, also cuts to the heart of the album’s musical appeal.
A richly rewarding listen, Prospero’s charms are perfectly positioned at the complex intersection of primal abrasion and intelligent emotional expression. The presence of a Kurt Vonnegut-inspired number (‘If The Accident Will’) seems not only fitting, but necessary, with the band touching on the legendary author’s characteristic mix of pathos and wit throughout the album. The breezy refrains of opener ‘Egon’ veil an achingly poetic reflection on fractured personal relationships, while the rumbling sturm und drang and listless lyrics of ‘Big Sur’ conceal an imminently and irresistibly catchy rock song.
The band unfortunately don’t always maintain the album’s tense dynamic of light and shade. The caustic textures of ‘Buzzard Vs. Ibis’ occasionally swallow the band’s melodic nous and ‘Devil For Sympathy’ sounds a little limp in comparison to the album’s more violent numbers, but such missteps are minor gripes on an album with a surfeit of stirring and emotional moments. The perversity of music-lovers is such that, were such clear-cut numbers absent, complaints would come all the louder for this impressive band and their wonderful third album.
HHHH   Matt O’Neill