"Lifeline" [EP]

For Your Pleasure!
"Lifeline" is a four-track EP by Jesu, a band spearheaded by the mighty Justin K. Broadrick and rounded out by his limey pals. Broadrick, under the Jesu banner, seems to pride himself on rib-clenching power riffage and ambient space drones, and that is exactly what we get here. Over the course of "Lifeline" we are subjected to consuming waves of sound that harken back to the days of the mid-nineties shoe gaze scene, when most of us were little more than bobble-headed rainbow children. Indeed, there is an almost undeniable 90's influence on this record; the filtered dance layering that is detectable on the EP's title track takes itself from the club style of someone such as ATB circa '98, and the restrained arpeggios on the same song have a tone much like late Smashing Pumpkins. Don't be fooled, however - Broadrick has not entirely abandoned his Godflesh roots, and makes effective use of down-tuning in "You Wear Their Masks," where guitars blast out notes low enough to contest the magma core of Earth itself. But is this mix of phaser-laden space chording and heavy riffery any good?

Cheery Wave From Stranded Youngsters
During its twenty-three minutes Jesu manages to cover a spectrum of emotions, and for that Broadrick should be given credit; each track has its own distinct flavour, but all the while there is a unifying, relatively mellow feel. Where the title track conveys apathy over an eastern vibe, the next song is almost purifying. "Storm Comin' On" is probably the weakest song on the EP, and hosts guest vocals from some obscure chick named Jarboe, but nonetheless has elements of bossa nova, most evident in the drums. The closing track is reminiscent of "Silver" from 2006, and hauls out an uplifting, fist-in-the-air parting melody that inspires positivity. The production is satisfying enough, although there is a definite emphasis of melody over rhythm; Broadrick is clearly more comfortable putting his focus into what he knows, and the bass dimension of the EP goes widely unexplored. Additionally, there are few studio tricks to be found here; panning is limited widely to guitars on either side, synth and vocal lines in the middle and everything else hidden towards the back. However, this is unlikely to bother you too much.

End Of The Road
Music is all about perspective; I immediately cringe in orgasm at a John Frusciante solo, but you yourself may prefer Metro Station. Some of my buddies like Islamic hymns. So whereas you would probably appreciate a rating, I instead provide recommendations; If you're a Broadrick fan, you won't go wrong with "Lifeline." Whilst it's not his strongest work [that honour goes to the "Silver" EP] it shouldn't be treated as a stopgap, but embraced for what it is - drones, sampled beats, and intriguing guitar work. If you like your music with a heavy dose of horse tranquilizers, this one is for you. But if you appreciate radio-friendly anthems, tracks from any sort of "current" scene - seeing as art-rock has been pretty much dead for some time - or you want sounds to break faces to, it's probably an idea to steer clear. Personally? I reckon it's pretty rad.

(Please note - I have not rated this EP, as I do not think complex opinions can be represented numerically.)