So, it’s been about 3 years since the last full-length album from Yves Tumor and 2 since his last project overall (The Asymptotical World EP). I guess it’s about time for a new album from them and boy, they got a title alright. Basically a title fit for a light novel isekai fantasy anime.
(Yes, can you tell that I watch anime on the regular?)
The album is called Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds). That is a mouthful, and it’s also their 5th overall album, 3rd on Warp Records. Based on the singles “God Is A Circle”, “Echolalia” and “Heaven Surrounds Us Like A Hood”, he’s still got that glam rock sound with some of his electronic/industrial signature sound and as usual, I’m eager to check it out.
So… how is that album that I’m not gonna type out the second time around?
I’ll say that we still have some of that glam rock sounds here, mixed in with a bit more industrial/grunge sounds, and we even got some of his electronic rock style in there from his album Safe in the Hands of Love (and even some mid 2000s sound thrown in there). “Meteora Blues” is a great example with that guitar and drum production which reminds me of what I’d hear in a 2000s teen drama, except it’s not as cheesy or melodramatic as those.
A single glimpse of burning love
The precious sound of your last voice
I’ll always pray to an empty sky
Stare straight into the morning star
With lips just like red flower petals
“Operator” does have some catchy vibes throughout with that cheerleader yell (“Be Aggressive! Be-Be Aggressive!”) and the weird chanting of ‘Eyes Red’. The production of the album had some big help with producer Noah Goldstein at the helm, and like I said before, it has that 90s-2000s alternative rock style in places.
One of the singles is “Echolalia,” the definition of which is “often meaningless repetition of words said by others”, hinting at the stalled syllables in the vocals, which is displayed really well in the verses.
Looked up to God (Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh)
She looked so good (Mm-mm, mm-mm, mm)
Want you to knock it off (Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh)
You look so good (Mm-mm, mm-mm, mm, mm)
Can we take a day off? (Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh)
Treat me like a doll (Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh)
“In Spite of War”, “Lovely Sewer” & “Fear Evil Like Fire” are all tracks that bring the kind ofexperimental electronic rock style that made me a fan of Yves in the first place and are easily contenders for the best tracks. I will say “Lovely Sewer” is closer to dance punk and psychedelic new wave, sampling The Cure’s “One Hundred Years” and featureing additional vocals from Kidä.
Then in comes the two last tracks of the album. The first is “Purified by the Fire,” an instrumental piece and a reminder why I got into Yves Tumor in the first place. It’s heavily reminiscent of the first album I ever heard from them, Faith In Nothing Except In Salvation, with the warped sample (that being The After Hours’ “I Don’t Wanna Cry”) and instrumentation that I do wish this album had more of. But at the end of the day, that’s the only nitpick I got on this.
“Ebony Eye” is the last track and I have to say, it is the perfect ending to this album. The production sounds triumphant and symphonic, swelling like it’s the ending of a sports movie.
Ebony eye
Swing your arms in the October air
Both you and I
I’ll say for this album, it leans a lot on the style of their previous project with a lot of types of rock from alternative, post-punk, dance punk, etc. than straight up electronic/trip-hop, but it still provides some kick-ass music from them and it’s about equal with Heaven to a Tortured Mind in quality, execution and interesting singles/deep-cuts.
FINAL VERDICT: Buy It. Praise a Lord Who Vibes with This Album.
Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) is on Warp Records and is available on streaming services & digital download. As of this writing date, you can pre-order it on CD, cassette, and vinyl and get it April 28th.