Alt-J
This Is All Yours
Infectious Records – September 22nd 2014
By Rebecca Milner (@beccamilner)
Find it at: iTunes | Amazon | Official Store
7.9
Exploring a broader dimension of Internet-aged dub-pop, alt-J’s This Is All Yours emerges from the foggy moors of Britain with new intentions. The sophomore effort wastes no time in flooding your mind with distant church bells, whistling moans and oriental flutes, and it’s enough to overcome you like an abysmal countryside. “Warm Foothills” echoes from the depths of Conor Oberst’s psyche with a tale of idyllic escape and the acoustic-led interlude on “Pusher” is quick to transform into the sauciness of “Every Other Freckle” – a single that wails with a few ounces of promiscuity (“I want to share your mouthful…/ Turn you inside out and lick you like a crisp packet”).
That confidence never really leaves This Is All Yours; Joe Newman’s wordplay throughout is perceptive and direct, and such assertion allows the group to salvage lines from an An Awesome Wave’s “Fitzpleasure” only to construct “Bloodflood Pt. II”, a ballad that begs for a shot to its misled heart. The Mercury Prize winners are often criticized for being unconventional but that’s irrelevant. As a trio, they find ways to flourish with Newman’s voice being alt-J’s ultimate lure and their latest being the record that engulfs you in the hazy solitude of a once-a-upon-a-time.
Listen: “Warm Foothills”, “Pusher”, “Left Hand Free”, “Choice Kingdom” || Watch: “Every Other Freckle”