●●●●○

Kevin Nolan’s new “Absent At The Moment When He Took Up The Most Space” is a thirty-eight track long album with a particularly interesting premise. The album is comprised of songs recorded between 1997 and 2005, taken from an archive of 150 unreleased songs. As a result, it acts as a chart of Nolan’s growth as an artist, as a musician and as a writer. With tracks drawing on a cappella harmonies, darker folk melodies, rock-pop, jazz and electronica influences, the result is a vastly interesting retrospective of Nolan’s history, changing styles and influences.

Landslide, the second song on the album, has a relaxed but chest-filling sound. With reverberating sounds, and a strong, steady rhythm not unlike a heartbeat, the “beautiful night” and the “moonlight” of the song become somewhat all-encompassing. One of the more chilled out songs on the album, it is gently sunny but still has something of a bite.

Way of the World is slightly less shiny, with deep strings underpinning almost ethereal vocals, as Nolan’s whispery voice reminds us of the bleak realities of the “way of the world”, with heartbreak and unrequited love being as unavoidable as the steady beat of the song. The song is simultaneously almost chant-like, and almost conversational, made so by the soft vocals and strong rhythm. The repetitive lyrics add to this steady beat, something which is retained regularly throughout much of the album.

The Ballad of the Pallbearer, one of the acoustic songs of the album, with just vocals and an acoustic guitar, gives the illusion of an empty room filled just by this song. The pallbearer’s ballad reverberates around the confines of the site of the funeral. Again, this song is particularly honest lyrically, as Nolan delves into his own fears, struggles and issues. He comes back repeatedly to the idea that he is “so fucked up”, and the loneliness created by the song is reinforced by the fact that it is just Nolan’s voice, underlaid by acoustic guitar, and both fade out gently at the end of the song.

Come Over Tonight has an entirely different sound again, with an almost jazz-like piano and overlapping voices urging the subject of the song to come over tonight. It is more upbeat than some others on the album, with the same strong rhythm maintained throughout. However, the sounds get thicker and more muddled as the song goes on, with more versions of Nolan’s voice being overlaid, and more instruments being introduced. Towards the end of the song, these sounds empty out again until all we are left with is the whispering of Nolan’s voice, and the loneliness he spoke about earlier in the song is reaffirmed as that, too, fades away.

This new album, to be released 26th July 2018, was preceded by “HUM”, a documentary which screened in early June, exploring the relationship between Nolan’s music and his lifelong struggle with schizoaffective disorder. Both the album and the short film offer an honest and interesting insight into Nolan’s experiences and growth.

The album, however, is more than a chart of a artistic and personal growth. It is an exploration of style, but one which is eternally marked by Nolan’s haunting vocals and the steady heartbeat underpinning the majority of the album. It’s an album which is difficult to forget, but also one that would be eagerly returned to.

 

Track list:

Chemical Truce Overture

Landslide

Way Of The World

The Ballad Of The Pallbearer

The Way I Feel For You Tonight (for S.C)

Wake My Life

Come Over Tonight

Baby Moves Slow

Speed Rider

Just Another Saturday Night

The 11th Day Of The Fourth Month 1980

Pick Up A Smile

The Waves

With A Carving Of The Devil On The Top Of It

Letter To The Future Overture

Dan The Wildcatter

Dog Daze

Better Than You Think (You Are) (for K.M)

Where From Here

The Wolf Who Cried Boy

Slow Boat

The Moleskine Instrumental

So, So Long

Home

Francy

Wonder Why

The Macguffin

Bluff

Mistaker

Adalade’s Descant

Take It On A Roll

Carrie

Vector Ball

Kokakola

She Left New York

The Rough Guide

Leinster Square Theme IV

Caveat Emptor