Laundry Pile

REVIEW: Arkells – Laundry Pile (2023)

ARKELLS – Laundry Pile (2023 Universal)

Arkells didn’t set out to make a record.  They’d been pretty prolific, with Campfire Chords, Blink Once, and Blink Twice coming out in rapid succession during the pandemic.  As they sat down to rehearse some acoustic arrangements of the Blink material, they found themselves jamming on new ideas.  Singer Max Kerman had already been writing demos, which the band jumped on.  The result is a softer, more contemplative album without the Arkells usual bombastic rally cries.  10 songs, 36 minutes.

Max compared this album to a journal that “documents some of the messy parts that end up teaching you a lot: love, regret, desire, shame, and the longing to get it right.” With that in mind, let’s have a listen.

A simple acoustic number, “Life Is” is a beautiful, quiet and contemplative number.  The sweet and subtle backing vocals recall the greatest folk albums of Canadian tradition.  “Life is short sometimes,” sings Kerman.  “You make mistakes along the way, and I love you ’til my dying day.”  A classic to be, “Life Is” might be one of the prettiest songs I’ve ever heard.

The single “Skin” is a fuller arrangement, with piano, bass and drums.  While it starts fairly ordinarily, the chorus really kicks.  “I thought I knew, I thought I knew what I wanted when I started,” sings Max, while pianist Anthony Carone punctuates his words magnificently.  A soft synth kicks in with the bass and drums, and the song becomes softly electric.  Mike DeAngelis lays down one of his best, most emotive guitar solos while drummer Tim Oxford plays with expert subtlety.  This is the brightest, most upbeat song on the album, and the only one of its kind.

The title track “Laundry Pile” relies of a soft piano backing, as Max muses on spending time with his true love.  “It’s OK if you’re not always at your best.”  Most poignantly, “I already love the parts that you don’t like in yourself.”  It reads like a personal letter.  The minimal accompaniment is perfect.  “Wash Away” also has minimal accompaniment, with percussion and light drums.  “I’m still in love with you,” proclaims Max.  “I’m not ready to let go.”

“Your Name” features organ, and dreamy keyboards.  “My whole world is inside your name,” declares Kerman.  Light strumming guitars and laid-back drums make for the perfect arrangement.  At the end of the song you can hear someone say “I’ll be back in an hour,” right before you’d flip the LP side.

“Beginner’s Mind” has a sad melody, with dark piano accompaniment.  When a strange keyboard sound kicks in, Marillion comes to mind.  The progressive rock band from Aylesbury often do songs like this, and the keyboards do add a progressive edge to this dusky pop song.  It has a vibe like a cold rainy day, especially when the full band comes in.  Wait for the trumpets!  Though this song is not inviting at first, by second or third listen it starts to hook you in.

The music picks up on “Shot In the Dark” (not the Ozzy song!), which is just a nice summery rock song for the countryside.  Electric guitars, punchy drums, thumping bass by Nick Dika…but it’s not a loud song.  It sounds like you’re in the back of someone’s pickup truck, driving up a long dirt road on a bright, blue summer morning.  This is followed by the twangy “Time”, and that’s probably not a coincidence.  There’s also some serious soul/blues roots on “Time”.  What is wild is that sometimes, Anthony Carone’s keyboards sound like they’re ripped from some old 1940s record.

“Tango Waltz” features strings to create a haunting atmosphere.  You’re fooled into thinking it’s an instrumental, but after more than half the song expires, finally Max comes in.  The words are somewhat rapid-fire, and this song comes across as more of an atmospheric interlude before the closer “Quiet Love”.  Tim Oxford ticks away in the back, while Max and the band create a delicate acoustic tapestry of music to wrap the words in.  “Is it too late?  Can you look at me like you used to?”  There’s a certain epic quality to this album closer, though not in a traditional sense.  It’s certainly one of the best tracks of the ten.

At the start of this review, Max was quoted as saying that this album “documents some of the messy parts that end up teaching you a lot: love, regret, desire, shame, and the longing to get it right.”  You can certainly hear that, and see it in the words.  There are no anthems here about politics, class, societal ills, or finance.  There are no soundtracks to going out to the club and meeting a girl.  Laundry Pile is a very different album for the Arkells.  Yet it somehow sounds like them and only them, and fits right in with everything else in their catalogue.  The shout-along anthems will return one day, but this album is unique.  It deserves intense listening over this coming winter.

4.5/5 stars

#1088: More Encore! Arkells Acquired

RECORD STORE TALES #1088: More Encore! Arkells Acquired

My Arkells obsession has not abated.  Since my birthday bonanza, at which I acquired Blink Once and Campfire Chords, I had not been able to buy any more Arkells.  Amazon doesn’t seem to carry much on CD these days, and when they do, the prices can be prohibitive.  I did pick up a CD copy of High Noon to eliminate those pops on my well-played vinyl, and a new review is incoming, but that was it.

I like writing a Record Store Tale with glad tidings.  Encore Records in Kitchener has delivered once again.

I’ve known Chris at Encore for about 20 years.  He has an excellent album under the band name Sexdwarf, which I got during the pandemic when I started ordering from Encore through the mail.  I don’t order as frequently these days, and I only get down there about once a year.  I’m allergic to parking downtown, and also public transit.  However, the ION train stops right at Encore, and Jen and I need to get me out of the house more this winter.  So, more Encore!  But back to Chris.

We talk infrequently, but I was asking him about getting the new Beaches and the new Arkells on CD.  (The Beaches is a problem – you can only get the CD from their website or shows, and shipping is more than the CD itself.  This baffles me because “Blame Brett” is a huge hit.)  Chris remembered, and let me know when he got the Arkells in.  In fact he had both Laundry Pile (2023) and Rally Cry (2018) on CD.  Rally Cry wasn’t even on their website.

I want to take it slow with this band.  Buying too much at once is overwhelming.  I feel like I haven’t properly absorbed Blink Once yet, though Campfire Chords is basically an unplugged “greatest hits” album.  However, I am ready to shuffle Laundry Pile and Rally Cry into the mix.  From what I have heard so far, Laundry Pile is softer and more acoustic.

Both albums are just 10 tracks, which I like.  That’s a nice comfortable number of songs for one sitting.

Now I just need two Arkells albums, CD preferred.  I need their 2008 debut Jackson Square, and last year’s Blink Twice.  I’m not sure what to expect.  The Arkells were much more of a rock band back in the Jackson Square days, and pivotal member Tony Carrone (keyboards) had yet to join the band.  That’s not a knock against the original keyboardist Dan Griffin, but more a comment on how much Carrone has contributed over many albums.  From what I have heard, Blink Twice is the most pop Arkells album to date, with lots of guest appearances from artists I have never heard of.  I am wary, but I’ve come too far to turn back now.  (I also need some singles, EPs, and compilations, but my albums collection is nearing completion.)

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is this.  It’s very simple.

Thank you Chris at Encore Records in Kitchener, for your help.  Jen was having lunch across the street from Encore this afternoon, and she was able to scoop up Rally Cry and Laundry Pile with ease, and at great prices.  All while using our ION train and supporting local businesses.

Encore has never let me down.  Whether it be Chris, Mark, Al, or, rest in peace Christine, they’ve never let me down.

Well, only once.

Way back in the summer of ’99, I bought a Japanese CD of Joe Satriani’s The Extremist, and Mark put a domestic disc in the Japanese case.

But he also hand-delivered a Metallica box set to my house, so we don’t care about such things!

I look forward to visiting Encore this winter, using that handy train to get downtown with no fuss or muss.  Maybe they’ll have Blink Twice or Jackson Square in stock.  Who knows what I will find?  Their selection of used CDs always offers a surprise or two, sometimes even a new release.  Encore will keep the music rocking and rolling for us this winter.