Review Summary: That's all the shit that flies around my head and keeps me sleepless.
Ahead of the upcoming third release from Dan le Sac vs scroobius pip, I’m returning to where we last left the voice of the duo, Scroobius Pip, with ‘Distraction Pieces’. The second solo record from Pip was a much more heavily publicised affair than his debut, which was released prior to the fanfare that the wordsmith now garners.
Being both a notable spoken word performer, and MC, the focus of the current record was always going to be on the lyrics. Up to now, Pip has shown he is a gifted writer; however he had faced some criticism on his last outing with Dan le Sac. While he has danced on the thin line between being outspoken and preachy before, some felt that on ‘Logic of Chance’, particularly on tracks such as ‘Get Better’, he may have taken a step too far. With this solo effort Scroobius Pip has refocused himself and returned instead with a biting cynicism. Pips wit is sharper than ever, and from the very first line he flaunts it-
“I saw a dead fish on the pavement and thought ‘what did you expect?’
There’s no water ‘round here stupid, shoulda stayed where it was wet.”
‘Distraction Pieces’ is woven with many similar witty, well written lines, which serve to exemplify and drive to home the message behind Pips tirades. With lyrics this smart, Pip forces you to stop and demands your attention, while unlike his previous efforts, never comes across as preachy.
But despite the wit on display here, it is the harsh honesty that Pip shows throughout his lyrics in this album that is the most impressive aspect. While we had seen examples of this ‘bull***-free-tell-it-like-it-is-truthfulness’ in previous tracks such as the well-worn ‘Thou Shalt Always Kill’, Distraction Pieces is peerless in its gritty honesty. In comparison to similar artists, Pips outlook is that of a true realist, seeing everything in shades of grey. Here, accepted truths are challenged and attacked with no stone left untouched. No more is this clearer than on ‘Broken Promise’. Here, he urges the listener to re-examine their own ideas of relationships, love and commitment and what they mean.
“Love at first sight always seemed unconsidered
I’d rather love at first fight, and then onto double figures
And unconditional love? Well, that just means nothing
In love with the mere idea of loving something.”
This is endemic of much of the other tracks on the album. This idea of grey moral ambiguity seems to frame a number of the songs in the album, with ‘The Struggle’ and ‘Introdiction’ making reference to it. Pips willingness to examine both himself and society with such breath-taking honesty is what sets him apart from his peers. It is clear that this album and its content is not simply a distraction for the artist- real thought has been poured into the lyrics in each and every song, making it the records strongest facet.
How Pip would tackle the music on this album was always going to be interesting. We wondered if he would cope, bereft of the beats of Dan le Sac to frame his lyrics. In response to this, Pip it seems, has gone back to his roots as a bassist in a hardcore band, and the album is punctuated by driving guitar riffs and building, brooding tracks, such is evident on ‘Let ‘em Come’. Here, once the chorus arrives, the band release, helping to mark Pips defiant roars. Slower tracks such as Broken Promise also make good use of the instrumentation with shadowy guitar licks flushing out the soundscape. This serves as an interesting change and allows the punkier elements in Pips work to shine through.
However at times you are made feel that there’s something missing. It’s as if Scroobius Pip decided that he was going to pay homage to bands such as At the Drive In, or Glassjaw, but instead of capturing the intensity or imagination of his influences, he appears happy with a weak emulation. Songs like ‘Death of a Journalist’ come across as plain boring musically for example. It’s times like these you begin to long for the creativity that was a staple of Dan le Sac and you start to wonder could this be elevated to a great album with just his spark.
In summation, this record serves to highlight how Pip has returned to form lyrically, surpassing even some of his best work on ‘Angles’. While, the music presents the more post-hardcore elements of Pip, at times it lacks imagination and comes across as bland. However, this just serves to exemplify just how much Dan le Sac brings to the table with the vibrancy and energy that is indicative of him being missed at times. Despite this it provides a great ‘distraction piece’ while we await their latest combined effort on the 7th of October.
