The seventh studio album from Canadian folk outfit The Weather Station, titled Humanhood, finds frontwoman Tamara Lindeman yearning for tangible connections and normalcy in a world that is on fire. Using dizzying electro synths, rich horns and jazz influences, Linderman and company deliver a tangled collection of dense offerings. On album closer “Sewing,” Linderman uses the title act as a metaphor for keeping on when nothing feels stable, singing, “It doesn’t look like much from here – there are no straight lines, nothing that clear. Aimless days, bad moods, the changes I can’t get used to. I’m sewing together a year. From boredom, from love, from fear”. That ‘stitched together, just to get by’ analogy invades the music as well as the tracks feel assembled, adding layers upon layers of sound.
The core band Linderman recorded with are, Kieran Adams – Drums Ben Boye – Piano, Hydrasynth, Synth Bass, Wurlitzer, Pianet, Philippe Melanson – Percussion, Drums, Electronic Drums, Karen Ng – Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Ben Whiteley – Bass, Synth Bass and the sonic palette can be overwhelming at times, swallowing Linderman’s vocals intentionally. “Neon Signs” uses upbeat disco-laden beats paired with soaring flutes and piano, yet there is darkness at this dance party. The album has an unsettling undercurrent of synths buzzing and swirling with chaotic sounds that never truly recede as Linderman tries to capture the detachment we feel in everyday life. Even the short instrumentals (“Descent”, “Passage”, “Fleuve” and “Aurora”) act as off-putting placeholders, and while some tracks take that disjointedness to extremes, it is a crucial part of Linderman’s message on Humanhood, cutting through the static for true meaning.
The artsy-folk stylings would not pack as much of a punch if it weren’t for the fantastic drumming/percussion of Adams and Melanson, who ground/drive the songs forward. “Window” uses those dynamite beats and layers of sound while the title track stays in the same vein, adding Sam Amidon’s banjo to the mix. “Mirror” may be the best of a strong bunch as it deploys odd/static piano plinks that morph into support for a hip-hop percussion backing, while off-kilter sax and found sounds mingle. A disorienting finale wraps up a stunning tune with hints of Tom Waits experimentation.
Overall, the Joni Mitchell comparisons are impossible to avoid with Lindeman, who both sounds vocally like Mitchell (especially on the slower/softer “Lonely”) while also taking sonic gambles like Mitchell, expanding her folk rock’s scope musically. Just like 2021’s more pop-leaning breakthrough, Ignorance, those gambles pay off on Humanhood, a complex album that searches for meaning in the modern world.
