SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PRAISES – IN THIS YEAR: HIEROPHANT

Praises
In This Year: Hierophant
Hand Drawn Dracula

Praises, aka Jesse Crowe, caused quite a stir with Spill Magazine back in 2018 with their debut album In This Year: Ten of Swords. Four years on, and they’re back with yet another Tarot reference, In This Year: Hierophant.

Those a bit more familiar with Tarot cards and their meanings will probably be aware that the two cards Praises refers to have both dark, quiet meanings with Hierophant also meaning established, spiritual traditions.

Yet, as with all traditions, they are not only to be respected, but also to be broken, and Praises obviously has both elements in mind here.

Musically and lyrically, Praises is on all the dark edges out there. Influences range from Portishead and Patti Smith to Nick Cave, with Praises covering often some stark themes, like “March,” which explores the gaslighting of colonial extraction industries and the culpability of those who stay silent, while “Our Father” is some sort of a letter to Nick Cave with an interesting message within.

It would probably be an impossible task for Praises to cover all the 78 cards in the Tarot deck, but it would definitely be interesting to see (and particularly hear), which one will be chosen next.

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