Acidclank’s newest song “Lionel” goes on sale tomorrow, so now seems like a good time to check it out. The band first caught our attention as a shoegaze outfit, and their earliest albums matched everything you imagine a group described as (or self-describing as) that would. Yet recent songs have hinted at Acidclank edging away from burying themselves in distortion, and letting a little more come through to the surface. “Lionel” stands as the outfit’s most direct to date, to the point where the words come across pretty clearly. It’s still pretty lovelorn though, and approaches something desperate on the chorus, which features the repeated “try me if you’re lonely,” less a come on and more a plea. The music matches this — deeper in things wooze off, lending a lurking unease to the song, and even the guitar solo cutting through late adds aggression rather than release. Listen above.
