Seek Shelter

by Iceage

Overview

On their fifth album, Iceage continue their metamorphosis into poetic harbingers with a flair for the theatrical, leaving their scrappy beginnings firmly behind for better or worse. As always, there is a sense of urgency to the record, with the group even veering into Brit-pop bombast, like Oasis reimagined for red wine-guzzling literary fanatics. Elias Bender Ronnenfelt's signature drawl only further positions him as a prophet of sleaze, and the band remain as capable as ever, but it's hard to escape the feeling their rougher edges have been refined, as some tracks glide by a little too smoothly to become the kind of earworms they have crafted in the past. Something that decidedly hasn't changed is their propensity for explosive openers, like "Shelter Song" and its massive chorus that manages to hit like a truck; even at midtempo, the Wall of Sound and soaring backing vocals are staggering. Despite a brief change of pace in the beautified "Love Kills Slowly," the energy travels right through to centerpiece "Vendetta." The track is all swagger -- it comes out swinging like something in between Happy Mondays and Kasabian, running the risk of becoming stadium-built lad rock, and only avoids such damning praise by virtue of Ronnenfelt's natural attitude. It is followed by a strange left turn in "Drink Rain," which channels Jacques Brel, and as admirable an influence as he may be, the song just doesn't land correctly, serving only as a distraction. The closing numbers pick up the slack, with "Gold City" standing out as a highlight. That's until the finale, "The Holding Hand," which proves Iceage still know how to end things on a high note. It's a fantastic feat of songwriting; dripping in drama, it manages to squeeze angst out of tension rather than raucous energy, coiling itself around subtlety and then pulling taut in the closing moments before breaking down completely. Ultimately, this record is a triumph for the band, born out of strange times, and although it may not be their best, their blend of bitter and sweet still rings true. Iceage's rugged roots may be gone, and there may be fewer thorns, but Seek Shelter is still a rose by any other name. ~ Liam Martin

Product Details

Release Date:	05/07/2021
Label:	Mexican Summer
UPC:	0184923129014
Rank:	130310

Tracks

1. Shelter Song
2. High & Hurt
3. Love Kills Slowly
4. Vendetta
5. Drink Rain
6. Gold City
7. Dear Saint Cecilia
8. The Wider Powder Blue
9. The Holding Hand

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Iceage   Primary Artist
Kasper Tranberg   Trumpet
Nils Groendahl   Violin
Mads Hyhne   Trombone
Anders P. Jensen   Piano,Vocoder
Ned Ferm   Saxophone,Sax (Tenor)
Selma Uamusse   Choir/Chorus
Antonio Gomes   Choir/Chorus
Gospel Collective   Vocals
Gabriel Silva   Choir/Chorus
Ana Reis   Choir/Chorus

Technical Credits

Sonic Boom   Producer
Shawn Everett   Mixing
Joaquim Monte   Engineer
Iceage   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Emil Thomsen   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Nis Bysted   Producer
Dan Kjaer Nielsen   Group Member
Johan Suurballe Wieth   Group Member
Elias Bender Ronnenfelt   Artwork,Composer,Lyricist,Group Member
Jakob Tvilling Pless   Artwork,Group Member
Inger Ronnenfelt   Photography
Fryd Frydendahl   Cover Photo
Bernardo Centeno   Engineer
Casper Morilla Fernandez   Group Member