Album Review: La Dispute - Panorama
Albums in a genre like emo are almost destined for a split reception; the raw, unrefined vocals and often unbearably teenage lyrics do often resonate with many young people, yet older listeners may be immediately turned off by what they perceive as arrogance and amateur songwriting. This is, of course, somewhat irrelevant to any attempt to identify the music's overall quality, except in that it often illuminates why a band like La Dispute might opt to deliver their above-average poetics in the shrill, irritating fashion typical of post-hardcore bands. But where some acts have managed to create a timeless sound that reaches beyond its intended audience (American Football being the most prolific example), Panorama sounds alarming dated on release, and any new tricks the band pulls out are not quite enough to create a forward-thinking record.
The spoken-word style of delivery attempted on many tracks here is an odd one for sure, though it is perhaps an improvement from Jordan Dreyer's nasal whinging in the usual emo fashion. Here the problem is, ironically, one of too little emotion instead of too much; any deep meaning in the lyrics of a song like RHODONITE AND GRIEF or YOU ASCENDANT is muffled by a monotone delivery, Dreyer's words coming off as little more than pointless melodrama due to how seriously the band takes themselves. Though the usual annoying whine does appear on many of the album's most deafening moments, to the band's detriment, this is ultimately the record's most frustrating aspect.
When Dreyer does allow the barest semblance of emotion to creep into his words, it produces some of the album's best moments, at least when the frantic instrumentation gives him room to breathe. FULTON STREET I opens with a distant guitar lick underscored by distorted rumbling, slowly building as Dreyer begins retelling a road trip with his partner, at first almost whispering and slowly building in intensity with the rest of the band until he is screaming out "I've never put flowers by the street/If you ever need for me to be anything/I could be everything you need". For once he is able to match the production in sheer passion; a shame the second part to come after, FULTON STREET II, does away with all subtlety in favour of pathetically ambivalent shouting and a cacophony of impressive yet ultimately meaningless noise.
A similar structure provides a vehicle for Dreyer's overflowing apprehension on the aptly named ANXIETY PANORAMA, which alternates between painful lows and agitated, intricate highs (as if to simulate one's tumultuous emotional state) with Dreyer lamenting "I felt afraid and ashamed/That I felt anything at all/I felt you panicking, your shattering/Your catastrophic fall". The most effective display of personal turmoil, however, occurs on the minimalistic IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN; against little more than a muted guitar line almost reminiscent of post-rock, Dreyer paints a compelling yet opaque picture of a turbulent retreat in the woods with his partner: "The color in between the leaves/Black tourmaline, blue-green/Like some bioluminescent thing/Come up from the black of the sea". Through metaphor, the supposedly relaxing setting becomes a vehicle for laying bare their fears and anxieties, as Dreyer's partner almost seems to sink into the water as he can only watch from the shoreline, doing nothing.
It certainly feels as though Panorama should impart more on the listener than it actually does, as the lyrics are often quite touching and heartfelt. The seemingly inescapable mediocrity of its vocals, then, should be blamed for dragging down what could have been a compelling emo album with more than competent instrumentation. As a whole, the songs here are still listenable, with a few tracks even managing to aptly illustrate the heights La Dispute could potentially reach were they to refine their musical approach. For the band's fans, this is potentially one of their better releases; for everyone else, consider it an interesting experience, enjoyable yet clearly flawed.
6.5/10
Favourite Tracks: FULTON STREET I, IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN, FOOTSTEPS AT THE POND
https://open.spotify.com/album/67emRwxtr7MSMpkUODvklY?si=cwheQ_fqQ9G4R0swdeFGOA