I'm not sure what Sons and Daughters have been up to since their last album, The Gift but whatever happened it must have been awesome. Their new album, Mirror Mirror is an about face from that album and it's a deeply thrilling turn of events for a band that's always walked to the beat of a different drummer. Looking back on their past, it’s as if they sought inspiration in hopes of taking things in a decidedly more minimal direction. The result is a record that's cold and almost uncaring...but still very good.
Sounding at times like a series of Gang of Four or Siouxsie & the Banshees outtakes, the band have developed this angular and jagged sound that's brutal but in the best possible way. This is a no-frills sort of affair with just enough sound and just enough production to carry Mirror, Mirror through. While the sheer callous nature of the band's minimalism will scare some, it's nearly harsh angularity and depressed sounds made me giddy with excitement. This is clearly a band that's spent some time with their favorite post punk and no wave records and created something that's as bleak as an East German winter.
This is not an easy record to latch onto. It's not filled with manic pop thrills but rather obtuse, scathing tunes that will inject themselves into your subconscious. I believe Mirror, Mirror is a great dark album from a band full of surprises. It might take a little work to find the rewards of this album, but they are there and they're awesome. Post post punk has never sounded so detached and depressing as this and when I asked "Mirror, mirror on the wall who's the darkest of them all?" The mirror responded, "Sons and Daughters."
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