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Trying to pinpoint the charm of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s self-titled 2006 debut album was no easy feat; singer Alec Ounsworth’s vocal out of tune and incomprehensible, the introduction and lyrical content frankly bizarre it divided music fans. But somehow this oddity managed to carve out its own little place in the sonic landscape of 2006, and gain the band a massive fan-base. Possibly due to the catchy catchy indie janglings and lo-fi country stylings, or potentially because its easy to make up nonsensical lyrics and croon along with Alec’s ultimately addictive voice. There was also the excitement and buzz that often surrounds a band who self publish and distribute.
‘Some Loud Thunder’ then, has had an awful lot to live up to, and could find itself falling on dismissive ears. It’s no help that it is at times painfully unlistenable; the opening and title track sounds as though it is being played through a set of ancient speakers and could immediately lead listeners to believe their copy defective. But no, the rest of the tracks are fuzz free, but the effect returns later on ‘Arm And Hammer’. The question really has to be raised as to why the band thought this was a good idea as the track would otherwise be a brilliant example of the best that CYHSY can produce, on a par with ‘The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth’. It has the characteristic handclaps cowbell and tambourine that made the debut so lively and energetic.
Unfortunately the main drawback of this album is just that, the majority of tracks have lost the energy so prevalent on the debut. At times there are flashes of the bands former self, especially on ‘Underwater (You And Me)’ with its characteristic bass and repetitive tambourine shake and guitar twang. But tracks like ‘Yankee Go Home’ where a blues bass and drum beat build gradually is, overall quite sluggish. ‘Love Song No. 7’ is more brooding, with a menacing piano part, while the beautiful ‘Goodbye To Mother And The Cove’ is a mishmash of plinking and plonking, duelling guitar parts and pre-execution style drumming.
That said, the albums stand out track ‘Satan Said Dance’ is a blissfully upbeat five minuets of Rapture style indie disco. Funk bass, electro beeping and thumping drums underlying mad piano and a great guitar hook show the infinitely more popular direction that the band could have taken. Overall though it is an album that builds gradually and the layering and distortions make for some interesting listening and there is far more emotional depth here than was seen on the debut.
