I'll Sleep When You're Dead

Got my grubby little hands on a copy of El-P's new album, I'll Sleep When You're Dead.

I think I've listened to it straight through about 7 times since this afternoon at lunch time. The lyrics and music are dense and paranoid as always. The change from Fantastic Damage is mostly due to the predictable process of growing older. The lyrics aren't all concerned with "newspeak or freaky lingo," and read in a more straightforward fashion.

That isn't to say the material is simple, but more that El-P is focusing on the complexity of emotion and experience instead of the complexity born of the clash between his ideals and reality. In order to convey the latter, he would often invent patterns and syntax to structurally mirror the divergence of reality from expectations. In order to convey the former, he works dial in his emotional language and connect more directly with the listener through both linear stories and language that you don't need a decoder ring to understand (Take a listen to "Dear Sirs" or "Poisenville Kids No Wins").

This method leaves the page-turning lyric-hound with less to unpack using logic (Though you can rip through "Run the Numbers" and "No Kings" if you need that fix) and more to unpack using emotion. For many of the hardcore fans, this will seem like a complete 180. What they're missing is the development of an artist over time. The maturation process of someone who throws himself full-tilt at the windmills because he knows no other way. Once you accept the harsh reality around you, the next step is to understand your feelings and thoughts that arise because of it.

Anyway, I recommend this one if you like El-P's stuff, but be prepared that while it is obviously the same artist, it isn't the same record as Fantastic Damage. It is the next step in the evolution.
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