“III” – Bad Books
8.3/10 | Alternative
At what point does a musical collaboration become a super group? Officially formed in 2010 by singer-songwriter Kevin Devine and Manchester Orchestra front-man Andy Hull, Bad Books is the result of a collaboration that began three years earlier. The project allowed the two extremely talented songwriters to experiment and build off of each other’s styles. Eventually they were joined by Robert McDowell, also from Manchester Orchestra. Together they released two albums and performed a multitude of shows through 2013. Seven years removed from their second release, with a combined seven studio albums on their main projects in the interim, Bad Books has returned with the aptly titled III.
I heard lead single “Lake House” shortly after discovering Manchester Orchestra’s A Black Mile to the Surface (I was very late to the show) and falling in love with the extremely cinematic sound. I was surprised to hear that it was part of a side project as it sounded like it belonged on a mainline release. Having listened through the album now, many of the tracks initially felt like Manchester Orchestra featuring Kevin Devine and vice versa. The songs penned by Devine have a much more structured and upbeat feeling whereas the Hull tracks generally feel grimmer and more atmospheric. As writing and singing duties were thrown back and forth throughout the track list, though, a magical thing started to happen. These two styles started coming together into one consistent theme and suddenly I couldn’t imagine the songs as part of anything else. By embracing their different sounds, Bad Books manages to weave together the best parts of each songwriter into a single beautiful thread.
By sticking to a fairly sparse and atmospheric soundscape defined by acoustic instrumentation, the writing duo allows their penchant for lyricism room to shine. The album attempts to tackle heavy topics from politics and religion to the exploration of fatherhood. Rife with sharp visuals, the lyrics feature many impressive lines, such as “I’m a seven page laundry list of sinful deeds I swore were not me.” The two songwriters are known for their intense detail and vivid storytelling, and III continues that legacy masterfully.
Closing track “Army” serves the album perfectly by encapsulating its various strengths while also cementing the combination of styles. The nine minute epic features Hull and Devine trading verses that tell the story of a soldier who has just returned home until takes his own life. It begins with simple acoustic guitar in the first verse, adds in some atmospheric background sounds in the second, and continues to gradually build with keys, reverb, and powerful vocals until it reaches its climax. Despite this wealth of instrumentation, it manages to maintain a relative sparseness that allows the song to draw you into its depths. After fully enveloping the listener, it tightens its hold just to let go as the soldier drives into the desert to die. For the final minute, the instrumentation returns and fires on all cylinders, showcasing the incredible cinematic prowess of the duo. It all disappears in the final moments, though, as the grim song ends on a relatively hopeful note:
Recently I’m working on myself
Starting to convince myself it helps
There’s nothing wrong with being alive
At its core, Bad Books’ III is the reunion of two friends after seven years and much change. It just so happens that these are two stellar songwriters with the ability to merge their individual talents into a greater whole. Though it is far from perfect and the songs sometimes fail to stand out on their own, the various parts come together to form a very enjoyable listening experience.
Koda Music 