Album Review: And So I Watch You From Afar - Megafauna
Reviewed by Rob Barker
And So I Watch You From Afar return with their new album Megafauna on the 9th August 2024, reminding us all that that they are amongst the top heavyweights in the post-rock/math-rock world for good reason. Recorded in just one week (which when you hear it, you’ll know why that’s impressive), this ambitious 7th album remains as playfully confrontational as ever.
We start off with North Coast Megafauna, beginning with a lovely guitar syncopation and tone, leading on to even more of both as the song progresses. Very cool, bouncy math-rock feel before hitting it a bit heavier, reminiscent of Mogwai’s more distorted tracks. Already in this first track the diversity of sounds and tones produced is huge, with twists and turns to song structure (as expected with ASIWYFA) keeping interest at peak. The ideas and variations on this first track alone could make an entire album, which makes the listener very excited for what the remaining 8 tracks have in store.
We move on to the lead single from the album, Do Mór. Nice technical guitar, reminding me of a twin-guitar version of Cleft (RIP). Also, some cool surf-sounds and use of a repeating riff to different rhythmic assaults makes for lovely listening. A strong first single to be hitting out.
Gallery of Honour has a more chilled start, but by no means let that make you think it gets in any way boring. It doesn’t. And before long it rips into utter musical carnage with some almost black-metal-esque tremolo picking parts, before moving on to two-parters Mother Belfast Parts 1 and 2 – and what a funky groove going on here! This intricacies of the cleaner parts could almost be a Northern-Irish take on an instrumental RHCP track in places, (without having to worry about unnecessary California references blustering in), with surprise attacks of post-rock joining the fray. Speaking of post-rock, this so far is the more akin to the stereotype with regards to epic scale in places, but it doesn’t over-egg the pudding and stays very true to the specific vibe of the album thus far. Part 2 shows off pounding drum and bass making the backbone for really interesting and unexpected guitar parts. This is an exhilarating ride of a track, and a fine sequel to the first part.
Progressing again to an aptly named piece Years Ago; listening to the calmer flow of this widdly-guitar piece, you can imagine it being a fine soundtrack to sitting and fondly reminiscing about good times gone. Not too different to what might be a more musically mature version of Chon in some places in terms of the technical, excruciatingly clean, cheerful guitar parts.
Any Joy continues a more relaxed atmosphere with its dreamlike guitar, before pace picks up again with Button Days – showing off a real energy in just about every way it can. An exemplary track to play someone and agree “God, these guys are good”. The final track of Megafauna signs out with Me and Dunbar; a return to the grander soundscapes associated with the bands more heroic anthems. A great final track to a masterpiece of an album.
If you’re new to ASIWYFA, despite Megafauna being a new release in an almost-20-years-worth of albums, it’s a great introduction to the band. This record contained everything I was looking for in an album by this band, a fine mix of post-rock, math-rock, beauty and technical playing (with enough humility to not make it obnoxious). If you’re a returning fan, then be excited for this one, because they’ve continued to do themselves proud. It’s not every album I review where I tell myself that I’m gonna get this one on vinyl when it’s out, but this is one of those albums where I most certainly will be.
