wears the trousers magazine

The Breeders
Mountain Battles ••½
4AD 

Considering the six-year gap since The Breeders’ last record, Title TK, and the obligatory ‘comeback’ label that accompanies any period of hiatus – technically this band’s second – the way in which Mountain Battles chooses to quietly announce itself is fairly surprising. Opening with the glorious, shimmering wall of noise that is ‘Overglazed’, essentially a two-minute long repetition of the phrase “I can feel it” punctuated only with the occasional “oh!” amid bursts of distortion, one may be forgiven for expecting something slightly meatier given this band’s pedigree.

‘Bang On’ confuses things further, instantaneously transitioning to a dance beat that sees the Deal sisters subtly flirting with the gentler side of electroclash, but coming to an abrupt halt before any firm assertions with contemporary styles can be properly established. Looking further backwards, ‘Night Of Joy’ brings to mind the magnificent harmonies of 1960s girlgroups, albeit in a vastly understated manner, lending a welcome, mildly retro touch, though ardent fans wishing to relive the indie-pop glory of Last Splash may want to skip straight to ‘Walk It Off’. Kim Deal’s deadpan delivery, churning guitar riffs and the lilting chorus are reminders of The Breeders at their best.

Though easily dismissed as gimmicks on first listen, the band’s brief forays into other languages actually prove to be among the highlights. The playful quirkiness of the Deutsch-sung ‘German Studies’ is closer to the band’s previous form than most of Mountain Battles, whereas ‘Regalame Esta Noche’, sung in Spanish, wouldn’t sound out of place drifting from the jukebox of a seafront bar in some far-flung balmy destination. It’s certainly a million miles away from what you’d expect of Kelley and Kim, but as such stands out from the rest of the material here.

Mountain Battles may be incredibly restrained but its quality control is consistent. It simply offers a more low-key collection of songs (cue the unsurprising involvement of producer Steve Albini). Still, it’s difficult not to wonder when listening to songs like ‘Night Of Joy’ and first single ‘We’re Gonna Rise’ how this record could have sounded if The Breeders had held back a little less. It’s the songs that showcase the Deal sisters’ humorous side, such as ‘German Studies’, that stand out as the more alluring efforts.

Although far from being the product of a band experiencing any kind of creative slump, it’s easy to see why Mountain Battles doesn’t satisfy the hunger of some of their fans. There’s a definite feeling that this release is merely consists of crumbs brushed from the table rather than the hearty meal The Breeders are more than capable of serving up.

Sophia Rawlinson
UK release date: 07/04/08

‘Overglazed’

‘We’re Gonna Rise’