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| Miki Matsushima photo |
the discordant and the beauty
If this volume and genre-defying trio, Boris, holds one constant, it can be described as intensity. The July 2014 album, Noise is the most recent to be added to their prodigious output. “Your noise, my music,” is a phrase dropped by drummer/vocalist Atsuo as he takes a moment to discuss the creative process of this recording. He will be touring with his other two prolific counterparts guitarist/vocalist Wata and Takeshi on bass, guitar and vocals.
Boris is a band that manages to keep their fans and themselves guessing.
The word “noise” initially came up last summer as they thought this album would be as Atsuo describes it, “super harsh.” By the time it was finished, it had evolved with a “music-esque” quality. What initially appears to a project of black and white contrasts actually resides in a landscape of greyspace. “This unrealistic world: that has beauty, beautiful things, there is a harsh thing, a bad thing and a dirty thing, so without using that kind of contrast, they cannot create anything powerful,” says Atsuo. So navigating this tonal range is where a story lurks and reveals itself.
This intensity works its way through the spectrum of their music, as the trio is able to competently and artfully mesh metal, doom, punk, drone, psychedelia and elements of pop into a cohesive whole. An admirable feat but not surprising considering their collaborative track record, matched only by their diverse influences, which span the thundering amplification of the Melvins to the subtle nuances and poetry of Nick Drake. “Soft intense,” he says of the low-key artists. Despite the delicacies, there is a tangible energy and depth in the music. That territory seems to be the space that this album particularly inhabits. As for their songwriting process, it always begins with the music - song first, then melody and finally words. Once a collection of songs is assembled, the sequential order on the album is another subtle consideration.
“The songs start talking themselves, stating who they are,” he describes, adding, “so what you think is really questionable, is questionable to themselves, or what you are wondering, they are wondering also.” It demands a perceptive ear on behalf of the artists and art can be a nebulous thing, like the precarious embrace of a guitarist courting live feedback to create their sound. It is a risky rapport and trust for that energy. “Art has those secrets, those secrets are those things we really cannot understand, that is why it is so interesting, we don’t even know, we are trying to figure it out,” explains Atsuo.
The sequencing and momentum of this album peaks with the track “Quicksilver.” With urgency, it climbs the topography laid down by Japanese-hardcore and Scandinavian punk subgenres. “Sometimes the song is underground, sometimes it falls apart, and sometimes it connects back to themselves,” describes the drummer. Listening to the albums or attending a live show is where you start to figure it out. “Come to the show,” he provocatively states, “it’s really noisy.”
Atsuo is also the creative design director for the striking album artwork. Same discussion as with the lyrics, the music comes first. “This is what the music showed us,” he points out. The artwork is an image of a black cat against a damask patterned backdrop. The creature intrigues him. “The cat is black, there is a darkness, but she is cute.” In Japan there is this notion of he calls “cuteness is justice.” As the cat is delightful, it is also dark poised against an ornamental backdrop, which makes for a powerful visual statement.
Music is an unpredictable beast, it’s one thing to talk about it, but more importantly, it is made to be experienced and with that collateral in stock, two points can be made. “First one, if the music seems like it’s getting louder, then it’s time to wear earplugs, because it’s going to keep getting louder,” says Atsuo and “number two, this tour is known to blow fuses.” Plan ahead for hearing damage.
Boris play the Rickshaw Theatre August 17th.
-photo by Miki Matsushima
