For Against - Never Been
by Andrew Carver
published: 14 / 2 / 2010
Label:
Words On Music
Format: CD
intro
Fine eighth album from Nebraskan-based dream pop act For Against, who, despite having first formed in 1985, have suddenly found themselves back in style
For Against are in the strange position of having fallen back into style. Since forming in 1985 the gauzy pop auteurs have seen the tide of indie rock embrace everything from grunge to garage. Now they face a flood of their own musical descendants in bands like Sereena Maneesh and the Big Pink. Despite the passage of time and the departure of founding members guitarist Harry Dingman (a returnee on the band’s two latest albums) and drummer Greg Hill, Jeffrey Runnings has kept the torch burning long enough for the band to release eight albums in all, the latest being ‘Never Been’. The stately pace, minor key melodies and shimmering guitar cast a moody spell throughout ‘Never Been’, with Runnings’ voice sounding as subtly disaffected as it did in his youth. His nimble lyrics are also in evidence in songs like ‘Antidote’, which offers the bitter putdown “You seem to think writing a little note saying I’m sorry is the antidote for a long list of things gone wrong/They could never fit in the space of one song” before switching to the view of the would be apologist. The ebb and flow of chiming strings and subtle post-punk bass guitar should appeal to both fans of the old (Kitchens of Distinction, et al.) and new (The xx, etc).
Track Listing:-
1 Sameness2 Different Departures
3 Black Willows
4 Antidote
5 Of A Time
6 Per Se
7 Specificity
8 The Tenebrists
9 You Fade
Label Links:-
http://www.words-on-music.com/https://www.facebook.com/wordsonmusic
https://twitter.com/WordsOnMusic
https://www.youtube.com/user/shouldfish
interviews |
|
Interview (2008) |
|
| Vocalist/bassist Jeffery Runnings and guitarist Harry Dingman from Nebraskan post-punks For Against speak to Chris Jones about their band's long twenty five year history, seven albums and Dingman's recent return to the band after an absence of sixteen years |
reviews |
|
Shade Side Sunny Side (2008) |
|
| Haunted and enthralling dreampop on seventh album from Nebraskan post-punk survivors, For Against, which sees the return of original guitarist Harry Dingman after a 16 year absence |
| Echelons (2005) |
| Echelons (2005) |
| Coalesced (2003) |
most viewed articles
current edition
Pennyblackmusic - Writers and Photographers' Albums of the Year 2024Peter Perrett - In Dreams Begin Responsibilities Interview Part One
Man From Delmonte - Interview
Clive Langer - Interview
Pennyblackmusic - Book of the Year Award 2024
Johnnie Johnstone - Interview
Marianne Faithfull - Reflections
Laura Nyro - Profile
Johny Brown - Corpse Flower
Vinyl Stories - Vinyl 2024
most viewed reviews
current edition
Dorie Jackson - Stupid Says RunRingo Starr - Look Up
Beabadoobee - This is How The World Moves
Pixie Lott - Encino
Dusty Springfield - The BBC Sessions
Unthanks - In Winter
Joan Armatrading - How Did This Happen and What Does It Mean?
Rosie Lowe - Lover, Other
Oïmiakon - Comptoir Des Vanites
Emily Burns - Die Happy
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart