Pretentious? I think SO.

William Blake was a true renaissance man.  You know, other than the fact that he didn’t grow up in the renaissance.  Still, what he represented–this trope of being good at nearly everything under the sun–has fascinated scholars and irritated struggling artists for centuries.  He was a poet, painter, printmaker, and editor, and to to top it all off, he managed to do it all virtually unnoticed during his lifetime.  He lived with the true burden of his work.  Unlike Goethe, who couldn’t even paint.  Slut.  Or Thomas Jefferson, who has become so recognized that he’s become a bro-status symbol, going by “TJ.” 

I’d bet this semi-intellectual banter is all coming off as fairly pretentious, but I’m okay with that.  I have no shame, and it’s obvious that the members of the band, “The William Blakes,” don’t either.  As proof, the band’s members are as follows: The Emperor, The Hermit, The Magician, and The Fool.  And they list Philip K. Dick as one of their influences.  The band’s released two albums so far (debuting less than a year apart from each other) and is currently getting ready for a tour of Canada, breaking out of their native Denmark for a better place…?  Exciting stuff.

To match their namesake, the band has a diverse soundset, ranging from 60’s semi-psychadelic folk to 80’s semi-dancy to 00’s…whatever.  They even dabble in ambient.  The sound resulting sound is something like what would happen if you told Arcade Fire to team with The Killers and The Cure to race through time collecting musical influences.  As such, one song on their album may sound pretty different than the song that directly succeeds it.  This is not a bad thing, and it kinda makes things interesting.

BUT, they do have a GLARING problem with a lot of their songs.  Honestly, listening to a lot of their lyrics is painful.  Their intensely conspicuous, jam-it-in-your-face style of political protest song has me hoping that this is truly just a phase.  Perhaps it contributes to the 60’s feeling of their music, but I’d drop an influence to add to my sanity.  Sometimes, it’s pretty bad.  William Blake, ever the poet, would not be pleased.  William Blake, the editor, would probably rip their drafts apart.  William Blake, the painter, would probably paint it black.  William Blake, the printmaker, would probably “print” all over their chests.

That’s not to say that the albums aren’t worth listening to.  They are.  But I think what we see here in their first two albums (”Wayne Coyne” and “Dear Unknown Friend”) is potential, that damning word.  For now, listen to the tracks below, enjoy them, and file the band away for future reference.

From Wayne Coyne

The William Blakes – Secrets of State (YSI)

The William Blakes – On Fire (YSI)

The William Blakes – Reality (YSI)

The William Blakes – The Magician (YSI)

From Dear Unknown Friend:

The William Blakes – It Looked Like Us (YSI)

The William Blakes – Our Moment (YSI)

The William Blakes – Secretly (YSI)

The William Blakes – Our Song (YSI)