Handsome Furs – Sound Kapital [Sub Pop] // Grade: B+

Every two years Canadian duo Handsome Furs release an album, and each time it’s worth the wait. Pent up energy explodes in a volcanic display of aggressive keyboard led melodies, joined by vocalist Dan Boeckner’s gravely roar on the band’s third album, Sound Kapital. Inspired by Eastern European industrial and electronic music, the album’s nine tracks trigger themes of claustrophobic repression, and the feeling of freedom that comes when you finally let it all blow.

On “Bury Me Standing” Boeckner repeats the track title’s words over and over, growing more agitated with every iteration. It’s synth-pop filled with tension, a quick-paced anthem for raising your fist in the air, and demanding your voice be heard. This sense of urgency defines Sound Kapital. “Damage” teeters on the edge, one foot suspended and ready to jump. Chaotic whipping synths leave another layer of scars on already damaged flesh. Radio samples from a Hong Kong hostage broadcast are scattered throughout the noise, building momentum towards what feels like the final standoff of a long chase scene. Desperation weighs heavy in the trudging keyboard notes of “What About Us”. Words of heartbreak flow from Boeckner’s lips, the melody growing gradually slower as he folds into the meaning of his heavy lyrics.

Sound Kapital suffers somewhat under its own weight. The often depressing lyrics and aggravated instrumentation paint a front page news story of a life where everything is hard, and freedom comes with consequences. It leaves you feeling appreciative of the little things. And again, the Handsome Furs pull off energy with ease.

- Scrooge McFuck