Sun Coming Down

Stylistically, these guys are often compared to late 70's acts like Gang of Four, the Fall, Television, Talking Heads, etc. And all that's true in terms of sound, but Ought objectively has better craftsmanship overall so I'd recommend not dismissing this band just because their genre has a precedent.The main reason this works as an album is that it's oddly therapeutic - the lyrics balance abrasiveness and social commentary with gentle empathy. Angst and hope, cynicism and idealism come in equal measures. They seem to confront the system not as a monolithic evil, but rather as the natural consequence of complacency, distraction, and habit. And this insight shines fresh light on how we got here and maybe even hints at possible solutions. The voice, while potentially offputting, actually works really well for delivering this message.It sounds like there are two guitarists, but one is actually a keyboardist. And this subtly helps keep the texture rich. There are only 8 songs, but they have very interesting song structures with unusual explorations from the rhythm section. The music really breathes and feels both noisy and calming at the same time.I wouldn't recommend it if you dislike dissonance because the chords are very thick and dense and the music can be disorienting (in that case, I'd recommend their first album which is more accessible). But these same qualities make the album hold up to many repeat listens.

Delicious art-punk reminiscent of Parquet Courts, The Fall at their most accessible, Mission of Burma, and a bit of The Proletariat.

Boom

pretty cool

I love this album. :)

This is a great post-punk/punk album. I have the digital version and it was one of my most played releases in 2015 (see @IndieSongADay for more) . I was about to order it on vinyl but decided against it after reading several reviews elsewhere that say the quality is terrible. It's highly compressed and has no dynamic range. Search for this album title and 'dynamic range database' to see what I'm referring to.

Superb! The Fall meets Joy Division is the best way I can describe it. It's been called art-punk, but make of that what you will. Great songs, often in different sections, going off at tangents. Sometimes speeding up, then slowing down, loud then quitet, manic then calm, makes for music of constant contrasts that really keeps your attention. The singing is often delivered in a kind of conversational way, sometimes in a slightly deranged way (meant positively!). Repetition of lyrics is also used effectively, especially in Men for Miles and Beautiful Blue Sky. Men for Miles and On the Line have driving punk lines.The only truly calm song is the great Passionate Turn.This is quite simply my favourite album this year and up there with my favourites in general. I bought it after seeing them live in Ramsgate (Thanks for coming to our little music hall!). These guys are awesome live so if you get the chance.....

Noisy, peculiar song structures, riddled with catchy, clever phrasings. Not one you'll forget about!

Favourite record in years.

Guardano indietro gli Ought, attingono direttamente a quel meraviglioso periodo culturale che è stato la fine degli anni 70 in quel di New York, guardano senza indugi l'opera di band come il Patti Smith Group e i Television, verso quei gruppi che univano potenza sonora punk e ambizioni wave con una decisa vena poetica nel mettere in parole i propri pensieri. Ma il loro sguardo è rivolto anche all'Inghilterra di quel periodo e band come i Fall e i Gang Of For hanno fatto senza dubbio parte della dieta musicale di questi fantastici musicisti.Sono un gruppo fantastico gli Ought, fantastico. Tim Darcy è stato definito un discepolo di Tom Verlaine e credo sia vero e credo che sia un complimento fantastico oltre che meritato. La sua voce ipnotica e le sue liriche potenti, la sua chitarra capace di guizzi abrasivi come di arabeschi wave è davvero qualcosa che mancava alla scena odierna.Otto brani favolosi, di cui uno assoluto capolavoro; si intitola "Beautiful blue sky" dura quasi 8 minuti e pesca ancora più nel passato, nel torbido, andando a scomodare il fantasma dei Velvet Underground. apoteosi.Semplicemente uno dei dischi post punk più belli che io abbia sentito da molto tempo a questa parte.Non perdeteli.

Vergangenes Jahr erschien im April ihr Debüt 'More Than Any Other Day'. Nur ein halbes Jahr später ihre "Once More With Feeling EP" und jetzt im vergangenem September nun schon das zweite Album. Ought wollen es anscheinend nicht nur wissen, sondern machen auf 'Sun Coming Down' endgültig ernst. Und dass sie ernst genommen werden wollen, zeigt schon das beeindruckende Coverartwork ihres neuen Albums. Die Auszüge des Gemäldes 'Men Of No Art' stammen vom Künstler Chyrum Lambert und zieren 'Sun Coming Down' sowohl auf dem Frontcover als auch auf der Innenseite. Auf dessen Homepage kann man sich zig ähnliche Werke von ihm ansehen. Lambert fertigt bunt kolorierte Flächen u.a auf Papier an, die er zerschneidet und dann zu abstrakten Motiven neu-zusammensetzt. Und umso länger man sich mit 'Sun Coming Down' beschäftigt, desto mehr erinnern einen auch die Songs von Ought an die Bilder Lambert`s. Denn auch sie ergeben selbst nach mehrmaligen und intensiven Hören nur in den wenigsten Fällen ein rundes Gesamtbild. Große Ausnahme und Vorbild auf 'Sun Coming Down' ist aber 'Beautiful Blue Sky'. Eine simple, nur leicht variierende Bass-Hook und ein lässig vorneweg stolzierendes Schlagzeug dienen als rhythmische Grundlage für Tim Darcy & Co, die hier Schicht für Schicht aus groben Melodien-Fetzen einem Song zusammenflicken, der sich aufgrund seiner organischen Eleganz und der zwingenden, ja schon fast dramatischen Perfomance Darcy`s schnell als Höhepunkt entpuppt. Auch das schnörkellos eröffnende, aber zum Ende hin dann doch von Schmirgelpapier-Gitarren ordentlich wundgespielte 'Men For Miles', sowie das wunderbar klare 'Passionate Turn' fallen früh durch ihren kauzigen Charme und dem unüberhörbaren Willen zur großen Melodie auf. Auf 'Sun Coming Down' reihen sich etliche weitere solche Momente aneinander, der Gesamteindruck bleibt aber meist rudimentär. Ought durchgraben auf diesen Album den eigentlich schon lange fauligen Boden des Früh-80er Postpunks- und Hardcore`s mit einer beachtlichen Beobachtungsgabe und Leidenschaft, dass man über die meist zu leicht ausfindig machbaren Referenzen gütig drüber hinwegsehen darf. Eine musikalisch etwas zeitgemäßere Ausrichtung für die Zukunft wäre nicht von Nachteil. Ihre verkopfte Herangehensweise dürfen sie aber gerne behalten.