Newspaperflyhunting - 2017 - Wastelands

(49:44; Newspaperflyhunting)

Track list:
1. We Used to Wander 2:44
2. Wasteland 6:56
3. A Question 3:53
4. Down the Steps 3:36
5. Sleep 4:31
6. Equal to None 5:42
7. Hours Pass 5:34
8. Solaris 16:48

Line-up:
Michal Pawlowski - vocals, guitars
Jacek Bezubik - guitars, vocals
Gosia Sutuła-Grabowska - bass, vocals
Krzysztof Sarna - drums
Beata Grzegorczyk-Andrejczuk - keyboards
with:
Piotr Polak - guitars
 

Prolusion.
Polish band Newspaperflyhunting started out back in 2010 or thereabouts, and have been quite the productive unit ever since they started out with more than a dozen EPs and albums to their name in addition to some compilation albums and a good handful of singles. The album "Wastelands" dates back to 2017, and was self released by the band.

Analysis.
Newspaperflyhunting is one of those bands that will skip back and forth between the borders of progressive rock, experimental rock and mainstream rock, and almost comes across as a band that purposefully exist on the border of these three different landscapes rather than opting to settle for one or more of them in a more defined manner. Kind of having a bit of fun with those people who have to define something by a specific genre description. This aspect may well be an accidental one, but I do chuckle when I think about a genre purist sitting down trying to describe this production.

Atmospheric laden landscapes are the main feature throughout here, where the atmosphere can take on radically different forms. Careful, delicate and fragile arrangements are explored with care, with a bit of post-rock and arguably a slight bit of jazz added here and there. Tighter escapades with a bit more of a drive is a part of the totality too, whether in the shape of more acoustic driven parts, more loose sections with a bit of a jazz undercurrent or more regular post-rock oriented escapades. Sections with more of a hard rock attitude come and go too, again with both jazz and post-rock as flavoring but also with a bit of a classic rock and hard rock attitude at times. And in the more challenging parts of this production the intensity level may start approaching metal, and noise rock details will be used on occasion too. A melancholic touch is an ongoing feature throughout, and the songs tend to either consist of passages emphasizing contrasts or have a development from a careful starting point to a majestic finale in a manner similar to what post-rock bands tend to use for their exploits. A little bit of psychedelic rock finds its way into these compositions too I might add, although this latter detail probably isn't much of a surprise given the previous details described.

This is an interesting production, and an album where we are served an approach and execution of ideas that does come with some novel features, if not on a greater scale then at least in the subtle details department. A slight detail such as a wandering electric piano where I'm undecided on whether or not the flow has more of a jazz or more of a classic rock origin can be mentioned.

Conclusion.
"Wastelands" is an album I ideally should have given my time and attention quite a good while ago, as it is an interesting production on a number of different levels I would have liked to give my support to when it was a bit more fresh out of the gate. Thankfully music isn't a commodity that comes with an expiration date, and for those with an interest in carefully expressive and atmospheric laden music made in and with a progressive spirit that has a carefully experimental attitude as well as half a foot or so inside classic rock, this is a production to take note of.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, November 2022

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/newspaperflyhunting