Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Being a Chicago-based music blog, Local H is consistently on my radar. They're one of those bands who may not have the global fan base they deserve, but people who keep up with them feel like insiders of an exclusive club. The axiom that the band was originally built around the foundations of grunge in the 90s and hasn't changed since - well, if you believe that you haven't been paying any sort of attention. There are more songs than "Bound for the Floor," and "Hands on the Bible." There are some absolutely excellent songs on the Local H catalogue, along with some absolutely excellent albums.

The last Local H album was "Whatever Happened to P.J. Soles?" and while that was a solid record, the new one "12 Angry Months" pretty much puts it to shame. This is a concept album, as a few other past Local H albums have been, and this time the concept is a very familiar and time-tested one: the end of a relationship. Oh yes, many an album has been written after two people break up, but I'm not sure there's been one quite as honest and reality-based as "12 Angry Months" tends to be. There's plenty of bitterness and torment to go around, and the crunchy and driving guitars the Scott Lucas brings to the table work perfectly for that, but there's so much more than that as well. You can feel the anger and resentment in opener "The One With 'Kid'" as the relationship ends and Lucas demands his Interpol, Libertines and Kyuss records back. There's tons of lyrical sarcasm layered all over "BMW Man," when Lucas judges the new guy his ex has started dating. Or how about "24 Hour Break-Up Session," which brings in the idea that the whole relationship was doomed to fail from the beginning. A song like "Taxi-Cabs" seems to push towards finally moving on, yet "Blur" takes a step backwards and wonders if maybe the relationship is worth trying again. Yet it's the nearly 9-minute closer "Hand to Mouth" that truly impresses in an epic fashion that only Local H could possibly pull off.

If it's not clear by now, I happen to like "12 Angry Months" quite a bit. In terms of the Local H catalogue, it might not be the band's best album, but it comes awfully close. The lyrics are what stand out the absolute most on this album, and if you pay close enough attention to them you'll not only find plenty to relate to, but occasionally you'll have a good laugh as well. I'm amazed at how well structured and catchy many of these songs can be as well, considering that writing lyrics to match the music isn't always the easiest task. This album might not be the most original thing you hear this year, but I will say that it's really cool. I admire Scott Lucas for having the gusto to pull this together. Check this album out- it may very well be your cup of tea...if you're okay with some heavy guitars now and then.

Local H- Summer of Boats
Local H- Blib (aka "Jesus Christ! Did You See the SIZE of that Sperm Whale?")

Buy "12 Angry Months" from Amazon

Labels: local h