Debut album by ex-Doe drummer Jake Popyrua, Four by Three is released by Specialist Subject on 2nd July
Stated as a studio-only project, an abundance of writing and the restrictions placed on individuals by the coronavirus pandemic, Popyura started writing and demoing songs on a regular basis and soon accumulated enough material for a new LP following the release of two EPs in 2017 and 2019 and the debut LP 'Death is the Best Thing for you Now'.
Utilising the social distancing restrictions, Popyura teamed up with producer friend Rich Mandell to record the album at Marketstall Recordings in East London over the course of only six days.
This slapdash breakneck pace of recording comes across in the finished article, a work of sheer drive and urgency with unbridled enthusiasm like a driver staying in the fast lane doing 75mph overtaking cars but not changing lanes. The fuzziness and power of the project streams out over the airwaves and harkens back to the final Doe album which was very much a joie de vivre of infectious punk rock.
To this listener, this is a relative of the early albums from The Young Knives melodically sharp with biting lyrics of the now with an earnest vocal delivery by Popyura.
The punk rock DNA is there to see from track three 'Cease to Exist' to the poppy 'Mouth' to the infectious 'Fears' - this is a songwriter who is in the midst of a purple patch and enjoying himself clearly working with the crippling restrictions of individuality to make the most of the situation.
"One upside of 2020 for me was being forced to sit with uncertainty and learning to accept that some things can’t be resolved as neatly as we’d like, if at all, especially when it comes to interpersonal matters, but maybe that’s ok,"
As he goes on to state, not everything has a neat ending. His lyrics are drawn from personal relationships but the accessibility of the music invites the listener to take it as their own. Take a song like 'Lifesaver' the vocals cleverly show a man almost calling desperately for help but clinging to his instruments for dear life just as much.
Or 'Swim' a real cacophony of drums v guitars. For me personally, to hear this music live would be a wonder reminded this listener of the forgotten Somos album from 2019 - it is not merely making noise for the sake of it, this is at the junction of rock and pop and being heard loud and clear.
Four By Three is out from Specialist Subject on 2nd July.
My thanks to One Beat PR for the review opportunity.
