Mull Historical Society - Wakelines

Immer, wenn ein neues Album von Suede erscheint, frage ich mich automatisch, was Bernard Butler eigentlich so treibt. Nach jeweils zwei Alben mit Suede, als Duo mit David McAlmond und solo, beendete er 2005 plötzlich seine Albumveröffentlichungen nach der Zusammenarbeit mit Brett Anderson unter dem Bandnamen The Tears. Seitdem ist Butler hauptsächlich als Produzent, u.a. für The Veils, Kate Nash, Black Kids oder zuletzt QTY,  aktiv. Seine neueste Arbeit erschien am gleichen Tag wie Suedes „The Blue Hour“, trägt den Titel „Wakelines“ und ist das sechste Album von Mull Historical Society.

Colin MacIntyre arbeitete auf „Wakelines“ erstmals mit einem fremden Produzenten zusammen und nahm sein insgesamt achtes Album (zwei Soloalben kommen noch zu den Alben als Mull Historical Society hinzu) in Butlers Studio in London auf. Heraus kam melodischer, leicht nostalgischer Gitarrenpop („Wakelines“, „Clementine“) mit teilweise sehr schönen Streicher-Arrangements („Little Bird“, „Child Inside Of Me“). 

The title track opens the album with a dreamy harp, which lures you into the song and the album proper. MacIntyre’s flair for a lyric has rarely been better and it's little surprise that he now spends much of his time penning stories. It’s an introspective record and, although there are flashes of the melodic indie-pop Mull Historical Society are known for, it’s overall more laid-back.
One of the album's standout tracks is 14 Year Old Boy, inspired by the story of his late father wading in from the sea, bringing the mainland to his teenaged son in the shape of a Fender Telecaster held high above his head. To some this looking back to where you grew up may seem strange, but to those who have grown up in the Hebrides, it will seem natural as it's the kind of place that never leaves you.
In his bid to do something new on Wakelines, MacIntyre enlisted the help of Bernard Butler on production duties. (…)
The erstwhile Suede guitarist has added a welcome polish and gloss to MacIntyre’s folk-tinged tunes, and it seems like diversifying into the written word has sharpened MacIntyre’s creativity.
(The Skinny)

‘Wakelines’ scissor-kicks into life, as McIntyre rocks and rolls through a study on leaving home. ‘Why do you need to go tonight?’ he wails, as he conflates the personal with the plight of political migrants, uprooted and rehomed to unknown and unwelcome landscapes. It’s a bold touch. Butler’s production, and occasional playing, brings a burst of febrile energy that we don’t often get from the Mull Historical Society. And it’s exciting.
‘Clementine’ is another stormer, recounting “50 I’m going to change my minds” as he travels over land and sea to a place of “finally feeling different”. So different, in fact, that he long for another self entirely.
(Clash Music)