The men of Bombadil have returned to the forefront of the indie music scene with the release of their fifth studio album “Hold On.” Other than peppering their music with electronics, there’s little to distinguish this album from earlier material, and Bombadil’s renowned quirkiness and smooth instrumentation remain as wonderful and deep as ever.
Bombadil will be performing at The Southern May 16 to support the release of “Hold On.”
“Hold On” deviates strikingly from past Bombadil albums by slowly introducing electronic elements, a realm the band has not really delved into. While shocking and a tad disappointing, digitized sounds are used sparingly and purposefully to a good effect. “Honest” presents the perfect example, as pianist and vocalist Stuart Robinson repeats mechanically, “Where I lost my mind.”
Aided by vocal auto-tuning and a melee of warped pings and drums, the song’s closing creates a mind-numbing effect on listeners to perfectly parallel Robinson’s self-proclaimed confusion.
Band members describe “Hold On” as “an album that surveys the terrain of love with songs full of hope and ironic humor,” but this statement ignores a few of the release’s most moving masterpieces.
Tracks like carefree opener “Coughing on the F Train” add to Bombadil’s impressive repertoire of simple, bubbly tunes, but calmer introspective pieces like “Seth (Guess I’ll Know When I Die)” highlight the members’ immense lyrical talent.
Perhaps the most devastating break-up song of all time, the ironically named “Sunny December,” features a heavy, lonely piano melody. Accompanied by Robinson’s muted, empty voice, the heartless narrative follows a tale of love lost. Far from optimistic, this track encompasses the angry sadness and hopelessness that generally comes at the end of a relationship.
A similar sense of listlessness arises in “Framboise,” a franco-english tune, the likes of which have become a Bombadil staple. The same is true of “Love You Too Much,” which is another lovely break down headed vocally by Robinson. These songs may sound delightful and upbeat, but nervousness in the face of love lies just under the surface.
The band announced recently via their website that Robinson, the architect and performer of so many beautiful, melancholy numbers, would be leaving the group. His massive contributions to the emotional depth of the band’s material will be sorely missed, on and off the stage. The loss of such raw, well-expressed feelings can only detract from the group’s dynamic as they continue writing and performing new music.
In this arena, a few questions remain as Bombadil tours in support of “Hold On.” Robinson contributed greatly to the writing and producing of this latest album; how will his fellow members, vocalists and instrumentalists, Daniel Michalak and James Phillips, fare onstage performing songs from the album? Can fans expect a solo career from Robinson? Only time will tell, but regardless, the loss of Robinson is a loss of some of the band’s characteristic style and sound.
Michalak and Phillips certainly infuse their fair share of wisdom into the music, though, even without Robinson. No matter the topic or make-up of a Bombadil song, listeners will undoubtedly discover at least one or two enlightening phrases hidden in the soft-spoken musings of the members, and “Hold On” proves no exception.
“Bill You for Your Trash,” one of the aforementioned hopeful, happy-go-lucky tracks, supposes that “maybe we were not made to figure out … Maybe there is little we can do but live in doubt.”
On the necessary end of a relationship, “Forgive Me Darling” states that “a lifetime of waiting is a lifetime too long / so I’ll keep on searching for a place to belong.”
“Hold On” seamlessly brings together musings on the meanings of life and love with a light atmosphere and positive vibe making it a truly welcoming listening experience.
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