I've Seen All I Need To See (studio album) by The Body

From Mercury 02/05/2021 01:27

70 to 75/100 (Noisy, abrasive, claustrophobic, oppressively atmospheric album that is just so so good and almost great if not for those fucking "vocals".)

I know jack shiz about Noise or harsh noise or this wing of experimental music. I know just as little about the storied history of The Body - this is the first The Body album I've heard. I listened to this knowing it would be quite thematically and emotionally heavy, and quite noisey and un-mainstream. And that is, sure enough, what I experienced.

Did I like it? Actually, yes I mostly did. I have never heard an album like this. And the pummeling, noisy, claustrophobic array of tracks and the general unease the music engendered was quite brilliant.

However, after listening to this quite ugly yet beautiful rumination on what sounds like the end of times and the smoking husk of civilization, did I then want to go listen to folk and soul music for a few days after? Absolutely. Only now as I write this little comment am I confronting this album again 6 days after initially listening and enjoying. I feel like I've expanded my musical horizons a wee bit, been served a really good to great album (if one I won't be returning to much I think - but who knows.), and I don't regret hearing this thing at all. The last album that kinda challenged me with such unfamiliar and harsh sounds is, well truthfully there have been many, but the one that comes to mind the most despite being quite different, is PIL's "Flowers of Romance". I remember feeling the same way about that weird ass album back when I was 15 as I do about this new The Body album. I thought even then "Hmm... I thought I'd like that, I don't, but I actually do. I probably won't return to it ever." I then proceeded to listen to that CD many many times in the winter of 2004 and I still have fond feelings for it to this day. Maybe "I've Seen All I Need to See" will age similarly in my heart.

Gotta say that I just remembered the one thing that is just to my ears atrocious is the vocals. Why the same shitty squealing vocals on almost every track repetitively? The first song it somewhat works...barely. But then what was the thought process behind the same shit over and over on almost very song? Okay that is my one gripe - a big gripe, it is. Otherwise the atmosphere and noise and music here is really quite cool.

Not sure how to rate or rank an album experience such as this. I do, however, recommend this as it is really good. Main annoyance is the fucking shitty vocals squeals.