Clogs - The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton / Veil Waltz EP

Clogs

The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton / Veil Waltz EP

(Brassland)

Rating: 4.4 of 5 / 3.5 of 5

The mosaic cache of January’s EP, Veil Waltz, serves as a foretoken to the hinterland of their renaissance. As a precursor to their forthcoming full-length, Clogs revealed their latest embodiment with this meandering batch of mostly instrumentally-concerted pieces, but not without the highlight of “On The Edge”. The two “Turn The River” themes are here to awaken the beauty of the aforementioned focal point. The Catalan phrasing of the title track and the tranquility of the xylophone-scored “Turn 13” are unique elements, yet derivative of the Clogs’ earlier work. Closing track “Parallel Man” finds bandleader and violist Padma Newsome, steeped in a well of reverb, revisiting his fascination with Indian folk music.

The inspiration behind Newsome’s compositions on the highly-awaited fifth release by these chamber-folk artists is something pure, and somewhat privy. The title of the LP references the widow of British composer and conductor Sir William Walton. Constructing from seemingly archaic progressions, Newsome has exchanged lurking orchestral post-rock build-ups for the dregs of delicate chamber music. Almost serving to spotlight the vocals rather than the vocalists (which include Padma) themselves, these waltzes and descants are spun and woven for My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Worden to adapt to, and with most astonishing results.

From the rendered-Italian palaver of the a capella “Cocodrillo” to the witching hour obsequies of “We Were Here” (featuring banjo and vocal contributions from Sufjan Stevens), The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton senses the demure revelations of a band of virtuosic performers. Complex structures betwixt and between the wistful verses of “Adages of Cleansing” stand to exhibit the prodigious talents of the group, entangling bloodcurdling string pocks and flourishes and Bryce Dessner’s substratal guitar excerpts with frantic hand drum rhythming tension from Thomast Kozumplik. Still leaning to his Baroque tastes with a post-rock bent in the ilk of classical instrumentalists Rachel’s, Padma can still step to the plate and shine a melody like no other, as can be heard on “Red Seas”.

Utilizing Worden’s feature tessitura on the simply beautiful “On The Edge” or the emotive gesturing of “The Owl of Love”; for Padma, the breadth of this record is indebted to her. But, Matt Berninger’s baritone, loaned to the plaintive “Last Song”, resonates with baring contingency. The forlorn pantomime of “To Hugo” follows; touched by staccato marimba lines, swelling strings, reedy bassoon lines from Rachael Elliot, and even audible breathing leaking into the mix.

Meeting more than satisfactory, if not numinous, upon first impression; The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton hearkens to be replayed. Recognizing it to be their most earnest work to date, Clogs have found their respective Aoede in Shara Worden, and affirmed their genius.

The review posted on ZapTown
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