Ray Creature, the new project from Leg’s John Booth, has an interesting record out now on Sister Cylinder. While I’m not really into the whole post-punk aesthetic, I’ve gotten a little further into the synthwave / darkwave / et cetera sets of bands because of my growing obsession with ’80s horror flicks.
However, while I really dig the synths on this record, the vocals turn me off. The whole demon Elvis croon pretty much peaked with Glenn Danzig, and everyone else is aping him. Find your own voice, folks. “Threat” and “Burning Alive” (especially the latter) are the only really egregious examples extant on Ray Creature’s LP, but they’re particularly glaring.
I mean, the whole album is a mish-mash of styles and influences, which it flies pretty proudly. The instrumental work falls somewhere between Vangelis and Joy Division. “Motions Felt” has a wobbly, off-kilter feel that I really enjoyed, but more because it was where Booth’s vocals were reigned in, and he wasn’t belting the lyrics out like a Vegas lounge act.
Ray Creature seems to be divided stylistically between the two sides. While neither A nor B can be said to be exactly “peppy,” there’s a much more upbeat feel to the A-side, while the B-side is downbeat and dark. “Long Caress,” the track which closes the album, is especially quiet and brooding. It’s in strong contrast to the cut which opens the album, “Don’t Stop Talking,” with its funky bassline and vocal interplay between Booth and Natascha Beuhnerkemper. It’s kind of Blondie by way of Tom Tom Club.
It comes on 180-gram black vinyl, and it sounds great. The tones of this album are at times very subtle, and the mastering job by Paul Mahern (yes, of the Zero Boys) is absolutely wonderful. It’s a super-warm feel for as cold and dark as these songs are. It could’ve been a very sterile release, but the way “Long Caress” pulses out the speakers is particulalry impressive.
Ray Creature’s self-titled release is out now from Sister Cylinder, and available in their webs store.