Anthropocosmic Nest is the second album by The Messthetics.[2] Unlike their debut album, which was recorded after having only been together for a short while, this album was recorded after a great deal of touring.[2] Guitarist Anthony Pirog estimates the band played about 200 gigs and therefore had a chance to perform the songs live for a while before recording them.[3]
| Anthropocosmic Nest | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 6, 2019[1] | |||
| Genre | Experimental rock, progressive rock, art punk, jazz fusion, post-hardcore | |||
| Length | 37:00 | |||
| Label | Dischord Records | |||
| The Messthetics chronology | ||||
| ||||
Reception edit
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| Exclaim! |   [5] |
| Spectrum Culture |  [6] |
In a review for AllMusic, Mark Deming called the album "a must for anyone with a taste for music that's smart, challenging, and exciting," and wrote: "Anthropocosmic Nest pushes the trio's boundaries on all sides... The three musicians... [have] created a greater shared language and the conversation is richer, more potent, and more deeply rewarding" in comparison with their debut album.[4]
Justin Cober-Lake of Spectrum Culture stated that, although the album "runs just a touch too long," it "finds new ways to blend a hard rock rhythm with more outre approaches to jazz guitar." He commented: "With Anthropocosmic Nest, the group solidifies who they are. While each members' past remains a considerable part of the trio's context, the Messthetics are becoming an entity distinctly their own."[6]
Exclaim!'s Vish Khanna noted that, on the album, the musicians outdid their debut "simply by getting to know each other a lot better." He described the recording as "dynamic, revealing a patient, thoughtful approach to songwriting, which, beyond exhibiting the band's musical proficiency, is a real signifier of genuine friendship and trust."[5]
Writing for Dusted, Jennifer Kelly remarked: "All three musicians play very well, and they've obviously gotten more intuitive and engaged with one another. But it's too much skill and too little viscera for my taste."[7]
A writer for PBS 106.7FM stated that the album "perfectly captures the trio's current live dynamic, complete with improvisational tangents, playful experimentation, and cathartic sprawl."[8]
Caleb R. Newton of New Noise Magazine called the album "a captivating musical adventure" and "a gripping little glimpse of a new universe to be explored," featuring "wild rhythms that are sometimes jazzy and sometimes noisy," with "pieces [that] consistently come together with a stunningly smooth power."[9]
The album was featured in Bandcamp's "The Best Punk on Bandcamp" for September 2019.[10]
Track listing edit
- "Better Wings" – 5:03
- "Drop Foot" – 3:47
- "Section 9" – 3:09
- "Scrawler" – 2:39
- "The Assignment" – 0:42
- "Pay Dust" – 2:27
- "Pacifica" – 3:43
- "Because the Mountain Says So" – 4:48
- "Insect Conference" – 1:36
- "La Lontra" – 2:46
- "Touch Earth Touch Sky" – 6:17
Personnel edit
- Joe Lally - Bass
- Brendan Canty - Drums
- Anthony Pirog - Guitar
References edit
- ^ Shteamer, Hank (August 13, 2019). "Song You Need to Know: The Messthetics, 'Better Wings'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
- ^ a b Breihan, Tom (July 10, 2019). "The Messthetics – "Better Wings"". Stereogum. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
- ^ Baines, Huw (September 5, 2019). "Meet Anthony Pirog, the virtuoso guitarist exploring improv noise in The Messthetics". Guitar.com. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
- ^ a b Deming, Mark. "The Messthetics: Anthropocosmic Nest". AllMusic. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ a b Khanna, Vish (September 5, 2019). "The Messthetics / Anthropocosmic Nest". Exclaim!. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ a b Cober-Lake, Justin (September 10, 2019). "The Messthetics: Anthropocosmic Nest". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ Kelly, Jennifer (September 11, 2019). "The Messthetics — Anthropocosmic Nest (Dischord)". Dusted. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ "The Messthetics". PBS 106.7FM. October 29, 2019. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ Newton, Caleb R. (September 24, 2019). "A Captivating Musical Adventure: The Messthetics". New Noise Magazine. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ "The Best Punk on Bandcamp: September 2019". Bandcamp. September 30, 2019. Retrieved October 3, 2019.