The heart monitor surging into flatline that opens "Country Mile," the first track on the latest release from Clinic, is suitable for the much-anticipated follow-up to 2002's "Walking With Thee". The time between albums, despite being only two years, was surrounded by rumors, album title changes and general intrigue as to what some of indie rock's favorite Liverpool natives would try next; the hype built up steadily until the ultimate release of "Winchester Cathedral."
While the result is thankfully hardly the death of Clinic's career, "Winchester" does flatline to the extent that the album is missing much of the vigor that defined Clinic's previous endeavors. Despite a stylistic return to their earliest work, "Winchester," although being a very solid album in its own right, is not one of Clinic's best.
Clinic defined its place on the post-punk scene with two relatively simple ideas -- a melodica and scrubs -- and became an artistic force when they incorporated those ideas into the swirling, controlled chaos that made up the better part of their repertoire. "Winchester" continues in this tradition, and while the artistry and inimitability of the band remain intact, the echo of previous albums removes some of the novelty in the method to the madness.
The return to the style of "Internal Wrangler," the band's full-length debut, is therefore both heartening and disappointing. "Walking," sandwiched between "Wrangler" and "Winchester," showcased a quieter and more atmospheric side of the band, particularly in the brooding "For the Wars," that called attention to the fact that Clinic could maintain its intensity even without the wailing melodica or signature pounding pulse. While there are still quieter moments on "Winchester," they fail to maintain the intensity of the album, a problem that similarly plagued "Wrangler" but had been largely overcome in "Walking."
This seems like a small concession, however, in revisiting the general glory that "Wrangler" maintains even today, four years since its release, somehow managing to sound as relevant as ever. This bodes well for "Winchester," as many of the tracks seem to channel "Wrangler" directly. This is perhaps most notable in "Winchester's" first single, "The Magician," which would have worked flawlessly within "Wrangler's" frame.
The question remains, however, to what extent it is advisable for any band to draw so heavily on past material? While Clinic's sound is inarguably distinctive -- even the casual fan is likely to be able to identify a Clinic song within the first few bars of music of any given track -- "Winchester" seems to blur the line between those elements that make up the band's signature style and those that are simply self-derivative. "Winchester" is just innovative enough to largely deflate suspicions that the band's artistic well has run dry; nevertheless, the notion hangs ominously over the listener throughout the course of the album.
There are changes on "Winchester" that distinguish it from prior efforts, even if they can't exactly be considered innovations; most notable is the startling increase in the intelligibility of Ade Blackburn's vocals. It is repeatedly -- even consistently! -- possible to understand full lines in "Winchester," which certainly adds a new angle for appreciation. While it has been gradually easier to understand Blackburn with each passing album, "Winchester" is the first album to truly capitalize on Blackburn's lyrical abilities, largely muddled or concealed on past albums.
A second new element on the album is the blatant incorporation of various international elements. "Vertical Takeoff from Egypt" emanates influences of music from -- well, Egypt. Exotic lines also permeate the less obviously entitled "Anne," which might otherwise be just an average Clinic track; the use is not so jarring as to be the "Venus in Furs" of the album, but haunting nonetheless.
The beacon of hope for future albums lies in "Falstaff," a brilliant venture into infusing soul into the music via the slow burn of Blackburn's vocals backed by, among other things, a clarinet. It's jazzy and edgy, subtle but attention-grabbing and unlike anything Clinic's released before.
Flaws aside, "Winchester" is worth its wait and proves to be a solid addition to Clinic's catalog. Although the onus certainly lies on the band to expand future efforts into more noticeably expansive territory, "Winchester" is a suitable middle ground that should largely satiate fans and serve as an accessible introduction to the band for newcomers.
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