07. Svalbard - 'When I Die, Will I Get Better?'

This album had a tumultuous birth. Not only has it emerged in 2020, probably the worst year ever to release landmark records, but a week before the album's much anticipated release date the band inexplicably severed all ties with their long-term label Holy Roar. It later emerged that they felt unable to continue to be associated with the record company due to sexual misconduct allegations made against its founder Alex Fitzpatrick. 

For a short while it looked like “When I Die, Will I Get Better?” may not see the light of day, but former Holy Roar employee (and Employed to Serve frontperson) Justine Jones rode to the rescue and agreed to rush release it on her new label Church Road Records. 

It seems inconceivable that a record as good as “When I Die, Will I Get Better?” could easily have been side-lined. This is fantastic collusion of uplifting anguish. It is an angry album, but also a cautiously optimistic one. It is full of swirling poignant passion. The lyrics burn out of the speaker, spat out in fits of pain and rage. The music is equally emotive. It swells in crescendos of transcendental life-affirming noise.

This is simply put a stunning peerless record. It is as angry and as resolute as their first record, but they seem to have matured in how they express that fury. There is much more subtlety here this time, much deeper textures and, dare I say it, more hope. It is also incredibly moving, and you can not help be swept along by its evocativeness and honesty. Outstanding.