Less than a year after the stateside release of its brilliant debut album Internal Wrangler, Clinic is killing it again with the group’s latest effort. Finished late last year, the four-piece from Liverpool wasted no time in post-production with its second full-length thriller, Walking With Thee.
Clinic has enjoyed success within certain circles in the United States for the past six months. Perhaps the band’s largest asset thus far has been recognition from diehard Radiohead fans. Clinic toured with Radiohead two summers ago in Europe and is regularly praised by Thom Yorke and company in interviews.
Internal Wrangler helped Clinic step out of the shadow of the giant. Many a record shop employee and those who have evolved beyond the mediocrity of Top 40 applauded Internal Wrangler (the album charted at 14 on the Herald’s 2001 year-end review).
Walking With Thee picked up where Clinic’s last album left off. A description of its sound could be as complex and layered as its music. Essentially, the group blends a plethora of elements from rock and pop’s short pasts. But where many bands tread the thin line between rip-off and revolutionary, Clinic’s music is nothing short of innovative.
The band has been compared to the Velvet Underground, the Stooges and Radiohead, but only elementally. In an interview with The Badger Herald last October, Ade Blackburn, Clinic’s frontman, explained that the group does not draw from bands’ music as a whole, but rather certain things the members like about a song. They build upon ideas.
“Harmony” is the first track on the new album and brings back the familiarity of the harmonica that frequented the first album. The song suggests harmony with oneself and the world: “Words so kind throughout your life/ come fill yourself with dreams.”
Blackburn’s voice could easily be Thom Yorke’s, but immature and unrefined. It is factored into “Pet Eunoch” carefully along with a guitar riff that simply wails. Easily the hardest song on the album, Blackburn’s lyrics are largely unintelligible gibberish reminiscent of the lyrics on “The Second Line” off the first album. They work within the song to create layers that are both rockable and danceable. Tom-heavy percussion from drummer Carl Turney dominates “Welcome.”
Walking With Thee seems more accessible than Internal Wrangler, but nonetheless Clinic likes to make its listeners think a bit. Employing the underutilized shouting whisper on “Welcome,” Blackburn asks, “Who would you disintegrate for?”
The album’s title track appears fourth in the lineup. Appropriately enough, the song characterizes the album as a whole. The blaring organ might seem out of place anywhere else, and where other bands might shun a melody Clinic barrels toward one.
“The Vulture” is bass-laden ala Brian Campbell, along with someone pounding somewhere on the far right side of a piano played by keyboardist/guitarist Hartley Turney. It is a delicious song that would make the perfect theme for a spy movie perhaps of the same name.
Walking With Thee closes with “For The Wars.” It serves as a soothing lullaby with Blackburn crooning, “You’re all made up for the wars.” The song illustrates Clinic’s remarkable abilities to range from hard rock to melodic sleepers.
The album lacks little and is evidence of the bright future of one of the most dynamic bands out there. In a time where rock is being redefined by looking over its own shoulder, it is becoming harder for bands to be innovative and bring something new to the table. Clinic does both.
Clinic will follow the release of Walking With Thee with a short stateside tour. The band will be at First Avenue in Minneapolis March 27 and Abbey Pub in Chicago March 28.
