Review Summary: It is.
Ben Howard's career has been one of constant metamorphosis. His progression between albums is something to behold, whether it's the pure folk of
Every Kingdom, the bolder aggression of
I Forget Where We Were, the smoky ambience of
Noonday Dream, or the scattered synths and tape loops present on
Collections from the Whiteout. If you talk to Howard's fan base, you'll find that each album has a distinct and loyal following. Across
every kingdom he's formed, however, the entirety of Ben Howard's following can usually agree on one thing: he's an artistic genius. No matter the backdrop, Ben Howard's achingly beautiful melodies will always shine through; his voice this beam of light that can penetrate any surrounding through sheer heart and determination.
It's appropriate, then, that Howard's fifth full-length LP – which arrives after battling not one but
two transient ischemic attacks (mini-strokes) – is also his most daring creative undertaking yet. There's a sense of defiance on
Is It? which is born out of a desire to keep pursuing his passion, even in the face of a potentially life-threatening condition. Nothing about
Is It? is typical by Howard's standards, which was apparent from the moment the smooth, sleek pop tune 'Couldn't Make It Up' was released as the lead single. It was something of a red herring, as not much of
Is It? follows in those mainstream footsteps, but it
did signal an artist who clearly was not finished shaking things up even after an album in
Collections from the Whiteout that many fans found too challenging and/or far removed from his guitar roots. The vast majority of this record exists in a space that feels equidistant from
Noonday Dream and
Collections from the Whiteout – it certainly has the electronic/percussive appetite and overall weirdness of the latter, but it also possesses the hazy, ethereal atmosphere and oozing, subtly infectious melodies of the former. The result is something that feels foreign, yet familiar.
Like all of Ben Howard's works,
Is It? could be an exercise in patience for many. On the surface, the album seems too steeped in electronics and tricked-out production to have any real underlying emotion, and a handful of songs might even seem like they're vying for identical sounds. Almost like ice thawing in the Spring,
Is It? needs time to warm up – but when it does, the album cracks open and reveals all of its secrets. The melodies begin to separate and show their instinctive beauty, Howard's subtle inflections grow into true hooks, and moments that initially seemed overambitious and/or overproduced suddenly click into place. The journey it takes to figure out
Is It? makes the gems discovered along the way all the more rewarding, whether it's the timely and elegant strings on 'Days of Lantana', the serene isolation of 'Moonraker', the momentous energy release that concludes 'Richmond Avenue', or the lush acoustic guitars that beautifully accent 'Little Plant''s poignant sway. It's an album best experienced in one sitting, allowing the dreamy atmosphere to overtake you while Howard's magic slowly reveals itself.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about
Is It? is that, after five records and over a decade's time, Ben Howard can still continue to achieve such brilliant results while traversing so many different musical styles.
Is It? is the farthest he's ever been from 2011's
Every Kingdom. At any point in his career, he could have taken the path of least resistance and followed the money, but instead he's doubled down on ambition and creating a lasting legacy.
Is It? is his most experimental offering to date. It's not easy to follow, and it rarely does what you'd expect it to...but that's the beauty of it. Amid the skittering beats, glitches, and studio-altered vocals is a man simply trying to make sense of a terrifying and very real health condition that has sent his life spiraling into a state of instability and uncertainty. In the face of these obstacles,
Is It? is a moment of both musical and personal triumph.
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