Jandek - Khartoum
https://corwoodindustries.com/product/0781/
Back to Jandek playing an atonal acoustic guitar and howling. I know I compare every album at this era to I Threw You Away, but that was truly the quintessential album that represents the despair and confusion of this era of Jandek. I find Khartoum to be pretty close in quality to I Threw You Away, but more barebones because it’s just the guitar and nothing fancy. The vocals are very dramatic, desperate, and exhausted. I got the same vibe as the aforementioned album from the lyrics as well: starkly and unabashedly depressed. I will probably listen to it again to get more into the nuances of the sound, but for now I will just analyze the lyrics.
“You Wanted to Leave” speaks of a problematic relationship. The singer describes the other as being uninterested in him and not as he expected, making them just part of a dream, and he also recognizes the damage he has done. He ends by comparing himself to the intrinsic beauty of the actions in nature. Very confessional song, but hard to follow. “Fragmentation” is a sadly relatable song. It describes his difficulty in communication and being himself when all he feels inside is a “long blank stare”.
“I Shot Myself” is depressing and visceral. He describes having shot himself atop a hill under the stars and being on the brink of death, but having sudden thoughts about goodness, mercy, and forgiveness. A very memorable moment. “New Dimension” sounds like a very personal letter to Jandek’s ex. He presumes that she is married, and warns her to be careful around himself if she is not because he thinks he’s harmful. He regrets taking her for granted because she was his world. This stings especially bad because of several previous albums that spoke of happiness in love, including the run from Shadow of Leaves to The Door Behind plus When I Took That Train.
“Khartoum” is presumably about Jandek’s regrets in the same relationship. He describes his partner never having time for him combined with his instability and poor social skills making a weak relationship. He goes into a stream-of-consciousness about how he wishes he couldn’t think about it anymore. “In a Chair I Stare” is a very memorable song that I heard a long time ago before visiting the whole album. It reminds me of “What Things Are” from the previous album. The singer says that he has lost all control at the mercy of his brain, and all he can do is sit in a chair and stare, walk around, and then come back. The vocal delivery is tormented and devastating and I definitely feel bad for him.
“Move From the Mountain” continues the theme of regret. The song interestingly switches from first to second person, but is probably still about the same person. He says how he regrets moving away from the mountain, which probably represents the relationship, which he also regrets leaving behind. It ends with one of the best, most palpable lyrics on the album:
“And the world among men is so sad
I can sense my confidence splinter
Into pieces
Which bear your reflection
Why can’t I laugh and be happy?
What kind of vacuum took my enthusiasm?”
“Fork in the Road” describes the bareness and nothingness of depression again, but includes a glimmer of hope that he still sees the light and if he “turns to stone” or “flows like water”, then he can be anything instead of being nothing. The ending is satisfying to all the themes of this album.
The emotions ran deep through this album and I felt very bad for Jandek while hearing the lyrics. The story forming from these past few albums has taken an even darker turn and his lyrics are more head-on depressive and regretful. It really strikes me how we are over 40 albums into the discography and the whole thing still feels like a big concept with a lot of lyrical connections and overarching themes. The musical style is nothing new here, but it is very solid.
7.6/10
Essential album?: Yes
Essential songs:
In a Chair I Stare
Fork in the Road
No comments:
Post a Comment