Francis Alban Blake’s ‘Blisters’ is made of synth, folk, and self-deprecation.
Francis Alban Blake – Blisters
It’s another juxtaposition of music and lyrics, folks. This time, we’re looking at the contrast of an upbeat sound with downbeat lyrics; when ‘Blisters’ by Francis Alban Blake opens with ‘I’ve wasted my hours living like a coward’, you might just infer that it’s not all going to be self-love and empowerment. But the beat is so happy it’s easy to forget!
Francis Alban Blake is a project shrouded in mystery – the artist page on the label website is a rather long-winded affair referencing ghosts and resurrection, but producer and musician Frank Bond seems to play a key part in it all.
‘Blisters’ is a retro, eclectic tune with a driving beat and heaps of self-deprecation.
‘I should have been golden’, sigh the sensitive lead vocals, admitting ‘I am tired of hoping that I will soon fall into place.’ The sense of discomfort and dissatisfaction is one we can all relate to, and there’s a glimmer of hope with the line ‘I guess I am what I make.’
The production and instrumentation is definitely something unique! The driving beat with its claps and rhythmic pulls could have come from a Motown track, yet the synth (with its catchy riff) is straight from the 1980s, and possibly a Space Invaders game. The chugging guitar grounds it in a singer-songwriter sort of feel, but it’s still a tricky one to place, with hints of also indie-pop 19990s bands. But I found the groove hard to resist, even with the morose lyrics. We’ll have to see what other ghosts Francis Alban Blake can raise.
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Words Eden Tredwell
