*Disclaimer – Yes, I know this is a 2017 Album. However, I did not get around to listening to Ghosts until the beginning of 2018. Bare with me.

Jeremy Enigk, of Sunny Day Real Estate fame, has released his 6th solo album, the first occurring all the way back in 1996(!). With SDRE, Enigk has been credited for crafting some of the best emo-rock, indie-rock records to date, so the question has remained over his past few solo releases – can this old dog learn new tricks, or at least capitalize on old ones?

Eh.

Don’t get me wrong, “Ghosts” gives me the kinds of sounds I love. The airy, open, vast aesthetic with some complex instrumentation – it’s the kind of things I typically love in music. Jeremy Enigk certainly does a good job at utilizing these aspects of chamber pop and such, but boy – his voice is painfully bland. It reminds me of just about any post-hardcore singer I could think of, but singing WAY out of his genre. Over some heavy guitars and booming drums, I think I could jive with it. But it lacks the power needed to carry these chamber tunes – instead Jeremy relies too heavily on vocal effects.

The opener track, “Light and Shadow” (7/10) starts this album off strong. It would be a stronger start had it not devolved to a repetitive slog by the end, but a strong start nonetheless. The vibrant instrumentation is certainly a plus. But, considering that’s one of the shorter tracks, you know the rest of this album will just be a hoot. The next track, “The Long Wait is Over” (7/10), which possibly mirrors my thoughts once each of these songs end, is similarly strong. But, these two songs start a worrying trend.

Are all these songs going to consist mainly of Jeremy belting the titles over intense, epic instrumentation?

Yes.

“The Long Wait is Over” features some rad as fuck affects, what sounds like stringed instruments being played backwards, some top tier drumming on the toms and cymbals, and then Jeremy Enigk just decides to sully the track with boring, dime-a-dozen vocals, lyrics, and melodies. The same applies for “Light and Shadow.”

“Amazing Worlds” (6/10) features some of my favorite guitar work on this album, but boy does it feel longer than the four minutes it actually is. The climax is a fun discharge, but not worth the three minute build up before it.

“Victory” (8/10) is a piano ballad, and by that logic it should be one of the worst tracks on the record. Surprisingly, it’s one of my favorites. It’s the first time Jeremy has been a compelling singer on the entire album. The hum-drone intro, the sweet and rising piano composition, and the reversed instruments are a huge plus. But damn, Jeremy, why couldn’t you deliver this kind of performance on the rest of the tracks? Suffice to say, the ending ‘ooooooooh’s’ just put a tear in my eye.

Too bad “Ancient Road” (5/10) fucks that up. Poor singing mares this song, along with the predictable yelling of the song title over these epic, booming arrangements. You start to think that Jeremy had, like, one idea for a song, and a bunch of little ideas for that one song, and couldn’t do away with any of them so he made them all their own song.

This is a bad decision. The tension in this song builds to almost nothing, because by the time the synths come in and everything else brightens up, you’re asleep.

The weeping violins of “Empty Row” (7.5/10) are arguably it’s strongest aspect, but Jeremy also delivers on a catchy, intense chorus, accompanied by growingly erratic instrumentals. Jeremy Enigk has a formula, that’s for sure. Ghosts is built upon that formula. For as much of a musical veteran as he is, it’s a wonder how he isn’t able to capitalize on that formula very often on this album. But “Empty Row” is a shining moment. Snare fill that brings in the drums near the end is a high point on this album.

“Sacred Fire” (8/10) is easily my favorite song on this album. I think that’s a glitchy kind of intro in the beginning. I don’t care what it is, because it rocks. The guitar tricks you into thinking it’s a boring, repetitive progression. But by the time the drums kick in, you realize the guitar is secretly this maddening ear-worm that forces your head back and forth. And let’s talk about those drums – they POUND. And i’m not judging this track at all by Jeremy’s lackluster singing, because yes he shouts the title of this track over the middle, but the instrumentals are just that good. And yes, i’ll admit, the chorus is catchy.

“Onaroll” (7/10) could either be the phrase “on a roll” or some kind of sushi. It’s also a very gratifying track, blending slow-moving and tension building verses with extremely explosive choruses. If Jeremy Enigk sang like, I dunno, not Jeremy Enigk, i’m certain this would be my favorite track on the album. Either way, he makes up for that with extremely creative instrumentals that send my mind whirling.

“I Am Revolution” (6/10) has an intro that feels unique, but then you remember that Jeremy’s done this kind of echoey, glitchy, reverse-strings thing tons of times now. It’s a cool sound, but you can’t open EVERY song with that, can you know, Jeremy? You know, I’m sure there’s someone out there that digs his voice, but man is it just so uncompelling. And it’s not just the voice, but very few melodies stick their landing. And you’d expect at least one to considering how repetitive they can be.

YESYESYESYESYES “Days Design” (8/10), you’re killing it girl and please keep at it. For an album full of ‘haunting’ indie songs, this is the first with gripping singing. The instrumentals, ironically enough, are the most simplistic they’ve ever been on this album, because Jeremy just hates me that way. Nevertheless, that doesn’t stop “Days Design” from being a definite highpoint on this album. Builds tension when it needs to, and explodes at just the right moment.

Jeremy Enigk’s latest solo release is a mixed bag of missed potential and decent tracks. I’m hardly ever ‘wowed’ by this album, however if you’re a fan of his work already i’m sure you’ll enjoy this.

64/10 on the Grouch Scale

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