ALBUM REVIEW: Wednesday – Rat Saw God

An abrasive and enigmatic look at life in southern state suberbia and small town melancholy

Author’s Note: Day 4 of catch-up week! Taking a look at some records that were missed out earlier this year! – Ryan

‘Rat Saw God‘, or ‘A Brief Look At How Art Can Be Appreciated Without Being Enjoyed’.

Earlier this year, indie outfit Wednesday released what has gone on to become a cult favourite alternative album in the form of ‘Rat Saw God‘. An abrasive and enigmatic look at life in southern state suberbia and small town melancholy, the tracks here are presented with a distinct and unique blend of folk, country, indie, shoegaze, and noise, culminating in a project that feels deeply nostalgic, yet wholly unique.

Artistically, it’s a treat for the senses. It’s hard not to appreciate the way the band capture the imperfect summer days they sing of with their incendiary style that manages to sound both quaint and apocalyptic. Gritty riffs puncture through the solemn sorrow of tracks like ‘Bath County’, whilst indulgent slide guitars give a wistful lustre to tracks like ‘Chosen to Deserve‘. Vocalist Karly Hartzman swings between a gentle southern country drawl and frantic, wild screaming, her bottled existential panic exploding across claustrophobic soundscapes, delivering unpleasantly earnest lyricism that is scathingly honest. 

It’s easy to see the appeal here for those enjoy their indie rock weird and uncompromising. However, simply put, it’s just not for me. It’s a dreary onslaught of melancholy that is, at times, deeply uncomfortable to listen to; no doubt the aim, yet regardless, that doesn’t make it any more of a joy to behold. Hartzman’s vocals are delivered with little focus on melody or pitch, and whilst that is an effective storytelling tool, moments such as the climax of ‘Bull Believer‘ and the opening of ‘Turkey Vultures‘ are genuinely a little painful to behold as her vocals oscillate between a piercing higher register and her standard singing voice in a wounded manner.

On top of that, the instrumentation, whilst complex and well-executed, lacks any real moments that stick with you, once again focusing less on melody and hooks, and instead on sculpting wistful walls of sound that do herald a certain vibe that suits the lyricism perfectly, but at the expense of bringing anything memorable or truly enjoyable. The repetitions of themes and musical concepts do make the entire album feel deeply cohesive, but when those core ideas aren’t particularly built to be enjoyed in the first place, it results in an album that sadly feels a little draining to behold.

This isn’t a bad album, however; clearly from the reception Wednesday have received, ‘Rat Saw God‘ has become something of a cult favourite in the indie scene. However, it’s definitely not an album that is for everyone, and whilst it’s easy to appreciate the artistry that has gone into the construction of this album, it would be false of me to say that I enjoyed it. A worthwhile listen for those who already enjoy peers of the band, but an easy miss otherwise.

RATING: 57/100 – Mostly Decent

For Fans Of: Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter, Boygenius, Slow Crush, mewithoutYou

Physical copies of the album are available here.

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