Coughin Vicars – Curses & Prayers
Release Date: 26th July 2024
Label: Venn Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Post-Punk, Goth Rock, Punk Rock.
FFO: Killing Joke, Christian Death, Grave Pleasures, Murder City Devils.
Review By: Hillary Wisniewski
We have been on a goth rock kick in my house as of late, which is always welcomed. It’s much like having an old friend stop by for coffee (or tea if you prefer) and a chat on a gloomy day whilst sitting next to a warm fire. Lately there have been quite a handful of artists popping up and paying homage to the classic sounds that came from the 80s and 90s post punk and goth scenes. Many of them are quite good, and have the sound down pat; however, they lack the atmosphere and emotion that is essential to these genres. Liverpool’s Coughin Vicars clearly understand these dynamics, and hit the coffin nail on the head with Curses & Prayers.
Blending straight up punk, post-punk, and goth rock results in having to really balance out how songs are going to flow not only in and of themselves, but also making transitions from one track to the next. Curses & Prayers has fantastic flow; it feels like being lost in a mansion of an eccentric millionaire and discovering rooms of various themes. One moment you might be in a moody lounge with velvet flocked chairs and impressive taxidermy on display, next you are in a space full of weapons and cold metal, and then you wander into a chamber in which you can rest while looking at a ceiling painted with a night sky. Yes, each room brings treasures to enjoy and makes you eager to see what is next. Interesting fact: the single Rips of Rain pays homage to the legend of the Bold Street ‘timeslip’ in Liverpool. Despite my interest in unexplained phenomena, somehow that slipped past me (pun very much intended). If you aren’t familiar, take a few minutes to read up on it. The single is described by vocalist Roman Remains as being “…about all the thoughts that go through your mind whilst killing time embarking on impulsive inner city walks in our island’s most guaranteed weather condition. It’s fists clenched in jacket pockets. A march into a headwind song. The kind of rain that stains your socks, but gives your mission purpose—it allows you to think way beyond the comforts of domestic life. Ghosts, ambitions, visions, fears, regrets, and by the end of it hopefully fulfilment and conclusion.” If that doesn’t ooze setting an atmosphere, I don’t know what does. Fantastic.
Musically this has everything I would want given where Coughin Vicars planted their musical roots. The gloomy, round bass which drives so much of what is going on, jangly and raw guitar, drums keeping a hypnotic beat, snyths which elevate the overall sound, and vocals delivered with depth, emotion, and moxy. Hell, there is saxophone in the mix here and there, and even that works well. Yes, that could have gone badly my dear friends, but no dice.
Sometimes reviewing can be challenging; I would like to say I love everything my ear holes take in, but with so many artists and genres it just isn’t possible. The past couple of albums I reviewed just weren’t for me, and my fingers were crossed for picking something that would lift me out of my review funk. I cannot say how glad I am to have stumbled across Coughin Vicars. They are just so immensely talented and on point for what they sought out to deliver. Enough of my thoughts – go add this to your list of albums you must check out.
(4.5 / 5)
