Protomartyr : Formal Growth In The Desert

Detroit’s Protomartyr have been leading the way in the modern post-punk movement, starting with their debut album, 2012s No Passion All Technique. Each album improved and evolved the sound, which consisted of jagged guitars, a solid rhythm section, and lead singer Joe Casey’s poetic lyricism delivered in the voice of a soothsayer booming society’s doomed future on a city corner.

The band really hit their stride with 2015s The Agent Intellect, finding the perfect balance of post-punk’s jagged delivery, Motor City rock muscle, and the art rock aesthetic of bands like Pere Ubu, Wire, and The Fall. Casey, along with Greg Ahee (guitar), Alex Leonard (drums), and Scott Davidson (bass) make dark, poetic rock and roll that feels important, significant. Casey could yell the phone book over the band’s tight, proto-punk delivery and it would work to great effect.

The band’s newest album, the excellent Formal Growth In The Desert, sees the sound evolving ever more. Protomartyr takes their sound to new, artistic heights here, adding touches of grandeur to their post-punk aesthetic. With the addition of pedal steel to the proceedings there’s a dream-like feel to these songs. More melancholy and reflection, and a widescreen view of the world that gives Protomartyr’s sound a sense of urgency.

Opener “Make Way” makes it clear this is a band moving things forward sonically. There’s a sadness here in the opening salvos, but it quickly gives way to big guitars and huge drum blasts with Joe Casey’s ever present howl. He sounds like a doomed poet waxing ecstatic on the end times. “For Tomorrow” is a shot of post-punk vigor, all big guitars and bigger vocals. “Elimination Dances” is new territory for Protomartyr, bringing to mind Bauhaus and Echo and the Bunnymen. Musically there’s touches of Middle Eastern melodies and Casey locks into that rhythm beautifully.

Protomartyr are concentrating more on mood and atmosphere here. They’re not as concentrated on making a record they can emulate perfectly live. This is more of a studio beast of an album, adding nuance and sonic touches that will make for more of an engaging listen. Yet, there’s still plenty of punk rock aggression, like “Fun In Hi Skool” and “The Author”. But you can’t help take note of the more nuanced noise of “We Know The Rats” and album closer “The Rain Garden” that delve into shoegaze dreaminess, while still retaining plenty of that Detroit sonic muscle.

Protomartyr could have continued putting out solid post-punk records and I think everyone would have been good with that. Yet, the Detroit four piece have shown they want to grow and build on their sound. Formal Growth In The Desert is a stunning new album that opens a new chapter for Protomartyr.