Kill Hannah, ‘For Never and Ever’
By user • Oct 23rd, 2003 • Category: Album Reviews
Music can be wrongfully judged by more than sound alone. What is seen often outweighs what is heard, as songs become footnotes to fashion.
“For Never & Ever,” Kill Hannah’s fusion of guitars and synths, transcends prejudgments and sways even the most fickle person.
This album’s complexity is astonishing. Each listen reveals new intricacies, as if each hidden layer is rationed strategically to listeners when the time is right.
The three-guitar ensemble avoids the temptation to smother each song with aggressive solos; only four exist in the 42 minutes. Instead, each track is textured with numerous riffs, creating a tunefulness that not only enhances the wall of sound, but merits individual appreciation.
Front man Mat Devine shows his vulnerability, consistently teetering between acquiescence and isolation. The track “10 More Minutes” claims, “I don’t know who you are/ But now somehow/ You’re breaking my heart.”
In “From Now On,” Devine laments, “I always used to pretend/ the hero really gets the girl in the end.”
The album hits a low point on the outsider anthem “Unwanted.” Luckily, this trite calling to “all those who don’t belong” is followed by the two strongest tracks – “Is Anyone Here Alive?” and “No One Dreams Anyway.”
“For Never & Ever” contains a self-aware swagger routed just below the surface — delicate enough to avoid arrogance.
This record is dense, intelligent and catchy as hell. Most importantly, it’s original.
The Kill Hannah members’ sound contains elements from My Bloody Valentine to New Order, but band members don’t wear the influences on their sleeves; they’re subtle instead, hidden in their collective back pocket.
Northern Star, Oct. 23, 2003
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