The Black Heart Procession - Love Sings a Sunrise 7"
(Rocket Racer)
The Black Heart Procession - Between the Machines 7"
(Suicide Squeeze)
Continuing the tradition started by precursors Three Mile Pilot, The Black Heart Procession is doing their bit of "community" service by releasing a variety of EPs and singles on smaller labels, giving the labels a quick shot of money to, hopefully, release a bunch of great records by lower profile bands. Last year brought two three song EPs; this year there's two seven inches of recently recorded songs, providing over 20 minutes of music between them.
The first single is on the Seattle label, Suicide Squeeze. The A-side, "Between the Machines," is very reminiscent of the band's second album, 2. The song follows a very plodding beat, all the instruments hitting the first beat in the measure hard. Keyboards and effects fill the background, as gradually Pall Jenkins' vocals turn from softly spoken to fully sung, the organ intermittently hinting that it will bring the other instruments to life. The B-side, "After the Ladder," is more akin to the band's first album, 1. The vocals are very prominent, with a bassline providing a low-high, high-low four note progression. Jenkins sings in a very haunting, mystical way, sounding like a spirit floating around the room, the guitar counteracting it with a very harsh, earthen quality, playing loosely with a searing riff. There are no surprises on this single, but both songs are excellent examples of the type of music the band does so well.
The next single has both an American release, on Rocket Racer Records as a picture disc using artwork by Jenkins, and a European release, on Speakerphone Records (Sweden) in red or black vinyl (get the picture disc, if possible). Unlike the "Between the Machines" single, the A-side on this release is a bit of a departure, enlisting Armistead Smith IV (half of Pinback) and Rafter (post-rock producer and remixer) to help record the song. The production utilizes a drum machine and industrial electronic tones and noises to create a cold background to the band's normal warm, organic instruments, making the song sound somewhat similar to early 1980s new wave... like a Joy Division song. Jenkins' voice is unsure and vulnerable, quivering behind the piano. The B-side, "The Hideaway," is another song more similar to the band's first album--in other words, less based on soundscapes and more built upon traditional song structure. In "The Hideaway," the tempo is driven by accentuated 2nd and 4th beats, using a piano and muffled trumpet for melody and fluctuating keyboard tones for an eerie atmosphere.
The band's last two CD-EPs were relegated to mostly experimental material and filler, making them items that were only really needed by diehard fans and the insanely curious. These two seven inches are much more essential; they are great examples of Black Heart Procession songs, and the sole experiment works to accentuate their sound instead of provide a tangent to follow into entirely different territory. Get these records while you can.
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