21/04/2024
Tunneling by Emily Peal and The Band of Skinny Men
A review by Mark H. Simmons II
Album link: https://emilypeal.bandcamp.com/album/tunneling
Dig Up My Bones is a haunting opener that sets the perfect mood for what's to come. It is a quiet, distilled, and focused warning against analyzing too closely loves that have been long gone. However, much like returning to this album, it's a reminder of how romantic it can be to think about going back to the past even if that past is traumatizing. "The truth is, the truth is gonna hurt like hell," is an excellent line among an ocean of excellent lines mingling with atmospheric yet melodic sounds. It fades exceedling well in to the second song, Heart In a Jar
"Stop what you're doing."
Heart in a Jar starts with a heartbeat like bass, under poetic lyricism and a slightly more gregarious display of vocal prowess than our introductory track. The band uses highs and lows, atmosphere and general sound to great dramatic impact. The song itself only picks up a beat occasionally, and at just the right moment becomes large with swelling sound and soulful rises in tone. Emily first really proves herself as a vocalist on this track, but will continue to go even farther beyond this display of skill as we continue. This track also transitions perfectly in to its following track, Gentle When You're Cruel.
"Oh please be gentle, when you're cruel." It's here we truly see a pattern emerging. I have wondered if this is a concept album, perhaps about a toxic relationship or even of the looking back on the trauma of a recent one. Lyrics often have a menacing yet tongue-in-cheek way turning lines that would start out as happy in to a sorrow, much like such a relationship might twist what is happy in to something more sour. The band this time carries the tune with a bit more weight on the drums but with every bit of atmosphere the first two tracks have lead us to expect. Next is Elephant in the Room.
"Let's drink poison together, we'll toast the elephant in the room." The first bubbly, upbeat song of the album is met immediately with some of the most tongue-in-cheek lyrics on the album set against very light keys. Peal's vocal displays here are very interesting and appealing, swapping from occasional upswings in to mellow low toned croons. The drummer of this band shows a remarkable restraint that continues to add to the overall sound in a way that is very admirable. Even when they let loose with some tom and cymbal hits it feels perfectly placed. The same could be said of the whole band, working together in harmony for an obviously intentional and spot-on display of dramaticism. This is probably my favorite song on the whole album. This song feels winking and smiling at your cheating lover. Our next song is Deathtrap.
Low, hypnotic keys start out this excellent work of lyric and melody. This is another song where the true appeal of Peal's vocal quality has a chance to shine. It's not just about hitting the notes, which she absolutely does, but also about creating a mood to fit the words much like one might ready a spooky storybook to a child. "So you eat, drink, sleep, and try to escape" is a line I find repeating in my mind too often. This song also carries furth the sort of dark Jazzy backing the band has been creating. Then, Disaster.
"You're sudden and perilous, you're terribly dangerous. Oh, I believe in disaster." This acoustic song almost hits like a parallel realities Landslide. This song feels like it's about accidentally picking up glass when you're just trying to pick up pieces to put back together. Towards the end it becomes quite haunting. It transitions perfectly in to Heavy Sounds, the next track on the album.
"I heard thunder, and then I saw you. Well, a flash of you- then dark." Distant industrial sounds open creating an atmosphere for a long held moment, before Peal's voice breaks softly through with a striking piano which builds slowly, along with the distant noise, until the drums take over and then slowly give way again- dropping off and letting Peal's voice do its work. This album includes so many excellent examples of using crescendo and decrescendo in music and this song is a clear example of that. A silence, building, a calm, an explosion, a silence. Like a repeating rhythm that carries the album seamlessly.
Rocks In My Pockets is our next track.
"This is love, what did you expect? Something pretty?" Another acoustic based song, with some of the most beautifully harmonized vocals on the album. The perfect song for Skylar White. I'm sorry, that's a dumb joke but you'll get it if you listen to the song. Anyway, this song strikes the chord of a ghost fondly looking back and remembering its su***de. The break toward the end where the music drops out and Peal is just singing, with a very lightly building percussion, is another excellent example of the builds from highs to lows and back again this album employs. Distant percussion brings us in to our next track, Fox With Two Hands.
"Creature of habit, even you can be broken in- as you're breaking in to everything. You've got a lot to learn about stealing."
This song is one I might describe as a little more radio friendly. It features a slightly more accessible structure but with every single bit of the tongue-in-cheek writing and use of exacting tone management the album has showed thus far. The repetition of "you're mine and you don't even know it." is an excellent lead out in to a final explosion laden with a particular rhythmic emphasis of the closing lyrics. Privilege, our next song, starts in an a way that is somehow both jarring and subtle.
Privilege begins with staccato string sounds, beautifully recorded. As Peal's voice begins to croon the atmosphere is built by soft guitar and key notes built around her. Even now, a solid 2/3rds of the way through the album the haunting nature of it is calculated in a very fine fashion. This is a song of highs and lows again, but this time very soft. Focusing in on small victories and small losses that nonetheless weigh just as heavily. There is a moment where staccato plucking builds in the end of the song, sounding very likely like a harp, and aiming toward an end that doesn't quite resolve in a way that leaves a want on the palette of the listener. Our next song is Wise to You.
This is one of the rarer upbeat songs, for the better part of it. It's something of an easygoing series of accusations, that flirt and unveil you for what you really are behind your facade. But when it's done, you're not unhappy to be found out, but glad to be realized by someone. "What'll it take to make you warm? My lips, or my scorn?"
Our next track starts with a manic heavy breathing, jarring staccato notes play rhythmically almost like the opening to a crime drama. This song is Wallflower, and as I hear it I feel a palpable anxiety as though I've committed a murder and someone is right on my tracks, putting together the evidence moment by moment. The sonic keeps its manic pace, but reaches a particular height when the guitar is allowed to let loose a little toward the end of the track.
"You built a house with your bare hands, nobody helped you. They just stared."
Picket Fence is one of the most haunting openings on the album and that's saying something. In an album full of moments that absolutely chill, this song almost appears to fall apart in the back half of the first minute. Something is done with the guitar here where I'm not entirely unconvinced it was unplugged and replunged in. This is a strange, experimental track. As the song goes past that mark there are keys that sound quite like the fairy's fountain music, or something from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The song builds up around this fantastical intro dramatic thrust and pull the loud and the quiet- a talent the band has made quite the point to demonstrate to great impact. This song in particular hits a lot of sounds- it is the longest song on the album, after all. I would consider this the climax of the album, I think. It is a display of everything the band has showcased up to this point. With two songs left, we next listen to Creator.
"You thought you were done, didn't you?" Here we have a beautiful lament, lead by smooth guitar chords with just the right touch of reverb. It is lead, of course, by Peal's vocals displaying the exceptional talent she's carried throughout these many songs. Here the quiet moments shine, the lyrics are the center of the focus. Midway through the song the guitar picks up just a bit, creating texture and flow for the song to travel on. This song may feature some of the finest vocals on the album, striking that sweet balance between the melody that must be employed and Peal's own fascination for and talent with emotionality.
"Creator, who's gonna finish you?"
Finally, If there is Light...
This is our final track, a note left behind for the audience. It is just over a minute long, carried entirely by Peal herself and with references to a prior song on the album. Is this a reprise? Either way,
Down we go.
