To indulge in genre debates for a moment, I Love You To Bits is not a rock album, by any stretch of the imagination. In many ways, its disco, trip-hop and synth-pop tendencies are divorced from that world entirely. Perhaps the only reason I’m covering No Man here is their two members, Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness, deserve significant admiration for their contributions to the world of rock and metal. Still, I think we are doing ourselves a disservice by not considering the minefield of influences which made the musicians we celebrate who they are today. Also, make no mistake, while No-Man may be pop, they’re not playing by the traditional rulebook, instead opting to present a dark, multifaceted view of love and relationships, melded by the erratic yet socially conscious imaginations of our collaborators.
In describing the record Bowness has called it ''The least prog thing we’ve ever done in terms of the music but the most prog thing we’ve ever done in terms of capturing the spirit of what that music did’. He’s not wrong in that analysis. The throbbing beats, changeable melodic phrases and elusive dances which compose Love You To Bits, embody the revolutionary nature of early dance acts, while still being a unique creation by a modern act.
You can tell its progressive by the fact that the entire album is made up of two songs, in five movements each. The first – the self-titled love you to Bits, begins on a surreal, almost otherworldly nature, as the swirling synthesizers and pulsating drums escalate in hypnotism. ‘What are you thinking? What are you dreaming? I’d like to know what’s on your mind. Who are you holding? How are you coping? Did you move on or stay behind’ elucidates that this record is not, as the name initially suggests, a document of a happy marriage. Obsessions. Jealousy and anxiety are all held up to the microscope here, aided by the ceaseless and entrancing compositions of Wilson. Bit 2 slows the lead melody to a slow and haunting weep.
This transitions beautifully into Bit 3 where a harsh – if still insanely danceable guitar riff – loops persuasively, as dissected samples swell and subdue in the background, lending excellently to that sense of doubt embroiled in feelings of unrequited love. Bit 4 reintroduces the trippy nature of the duo’s ambience, the instrumentals, lyrics and electronics blurring into an amorphous musical hallucinogenic which slowly worms its way throughout your senses, before spilling over into a maddened and enraged guitar solo. The final bit draws us back into the lead rhythms and hook, with darkly altered lyrics to reflect the consequences of our protagonist’s lust. ‘I love you, until I can’t love at all’
Next up is Love You To Pieces and considering the ever blackening nature of the first track, the listener has no cause to believe that this will be any more cheerful. While, to some that may seem like a detraction, remember this is Wilson and Bowness we’re considering. They thrive off sadness like a bee thrives off pollen. Indeed, carrying on the themes, the anthem expounds on the shard remnants of the narrator's so-called ‘love’. A droning, whirring melodic phrase plays out here, while dissonant effects, many of them distantly reminiscent of earlier ones, now glare and dazzle. ‘Hopelessly waiting, while feelings were fading, the way it always seemed to me. I found my survival in dreams of escaping, a sticky love, just left me weak’ ring out the first words we hear on Piece 1. From there, the suite takes on a harsh, exacting and mechanical nature. The disco ball representing the albums image, while still echoing the style of the music, now feels strangely dystopian as keyboards, bass and distortion screams and reverberates vexingly. Piece 3 and Piece 4 feels strangely mocking in its bright glittering melodies, contrasted against ceaselessly haunting wordplay.
The album ends on a blissful yet melancholic note, proving a contemplative finish to a work coloured in detail and complexity. As I’ve said before contrast will forever be a strength of these players, and as long as their sadness in the world to contemplate, they will forever continue to meld it into something beautiful. 8/10
Next up is Love You To Pieces and considering the ever blackening nature of the first track, the listener has no cause to believe that this will be any more cheerful. While, to some that may seem like a detraction, remember this is Wilson and Bowness we’re considering. They thrive off sadness like a bee thrives off pollen. Indeed, carrying on the themes, the anthem expounds on the shard remnants of the narrator's so-called ‘love’. A droning, whirring melodic phrase plays out here, while dissonant effects, many of them distantly reminiscent of earlier ones, now glare and dazzle. ‘Hopelessly waiting, while feelings were fading, the way it always seemed to me. I found my survival in dreams of escaping, a sticky love, just left me weak’ ring out the first words we hear on Piece 1. From there, the suite takes on a harsh, exacting and mechanical nature. The disco ball representing the albums image, while still echoing the style of the music, now feels strangely dystopian as keyboards, bass and distortion screams and reverberates vexingly. Piece 3 and Piece 4 feels strangely mocking in its bright glittering melodies, contrasted against ceaselessly haunting wordplay.
The album ends on a blissful yet melancholic note, proving a contemplative finish to a work coloured in detail and complexity. As I’ve said before contrast will forever be a strength of these players, and as long as their sadness in the world to contemplate, they will forever continue to meld it into something beautiful. 8/10
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