Jucifer is one of rock’s great conundrums. A unique and very, very loud punk/metal duo, it has developed a reputation as one of the most punishing live acts today. Yet their songwriting has often failed to deliver the goods promised by their impressive instrumental onslaught. Previous albums have been full of difficult moments, awkward writing, and anti-melodic songs. On L’autrechienne, Jucifer has finally arrived.
Opening with the one-two punch of “Blackpowder,” and “Thermidor,” the duo consolidates and refines its strengths. “Blackpowder,” the best song Jucifer has written, roars like early Soundgarden or Melvins gone pop. Its mammoth hook, “sunlight in my eyes fills up my heart with light,” is sugary compared to what Jucifer fans have come to expect, but the song’s relentless momentum is hard to deny. “Thermidor” is furious early ‘80s hardcore, cut down to thirty seconds of blistering force. Within the fi rst few cuts, Jucifer demonstrates, like so many great album-crafters, that focus and diversity can co-exist. The duo has successfully separated each facet of its signature sound and honed them to perfection, resulting in the array of styles heard on this sprawling 21-track record.
More than anything, L’autrechienne recalls Hüsker Dü’s 1984 masterwork Zen Arcade in diversity and narrative scope. The record follows the harrowing story of the French Revolution, up through the deaths of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. Jucifer have tackled a huge subject, and written songs to suit the occasion. L’autrechienne is brilliantly written and sequenced. Moments that would have seemed plodding and overwrought on earlier records serve a narrative and structural purpose (see “Deficit,” “The Assembly”), and it’s hard to imagine the album without them. And for every dirge, there’s a piece of pop-metal perfection like “Behind Every Great Man.” The quiet moments are more satisfying than ever, especially on the moving title track.
Singer/multi-instrumentalist Amber Valentine turns in her fi nest vocal performance to date, running the gamut between aggressive shrieks and eloquent singing (often in French). Drummer Edgar Livengood is also in fine form, handling a variety of instruments like his counterpart. This is an intellectually engaging work that is heavy on hooks, rage, big-dumb-metal power, and subdued beauty. In L’autrechienne, Jucifer has created the album for which they will be remembered.
– Mike McGovern
Jucifer: www.jucifer.com
Relapse Records: www.relapse.com