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Ghost, "In Stormy Nights"
There's no denying that Ghost was the highlight of 2006's Terrastock festival. While the Japanese ensemble might never make a dent in the minds of the young and hip, amongst the most trustworthy music crowds, they are living legends. This is a group who wants it all—to make fantastic psychedelic pop songs, powerful cinematic anthems, and patient yet intoxicating jazz-rock masterpieces—and there's no reason to deny them.
Ghost introduces a 28 minute epic from the start of In Stormy Nights (track 2 on the CD edition but side A of the 2xLP edition). While Ghost tackle different styles in different songs, their ability to compose great arrangements remains constant: although "Hemicyclic Anthelion" is packed full with multi-talented multi-instrumentalists, never does it feel like they're stomping on each other's feet. The patient evolution and virtuoso instrumentation (double-bass, percussion, loops and effects) echoes other Japanese improvisational jazz-rock legends Taj Mahal Travelers while the use of piano, vibes, and chimes is something fans of Psychic TV's Themes I will gravitate towards. It would be difficult to talk about Ghost without mention of the guitar work of Michio Kurihara, and songs like "Hemicyclic Anthelion" showcase his ability both to rip out some bleeding riffs and to exercise restraint during others moments.
The vocals of acoustic guitarist Masaki Batoh can be heard prominently on songs that unsurprisingly have a strong acoustic guitar presence: the album's opener, "Motherly Bluster," is a captivating double-guitar piece from a fantasy world with flute, malleted drums, and lush strings; while "Water Door Yellow Gate" becomes forceful with the march-like percussion and matching piano and acoustic guitar strums, the evil whine of a blistering guitar, and retro electronic choral synth sample sounds (see old OMD).
Ghost waste no time launching into the faster, more powerful drive of "Gareki No Toshi," where percussionists not only lay down the driving backbone with ballsy tympani-esque drums and piano, but take center stage with another layer of angry drumming. This isn't a passive song to be listened to quietly: it screams to be released at full volume through the speakers. Squelchy vocals, squealing guitar, and buzzing effects color the rest of the tune, which reaches an apex with massive gongs: they break the motion but not the intensity. "Caledonia," an MP3 released early from Drag City, is easily the album's biggest "hit single," or whatever the hit single equivalent is in the world of 2007 independent music where labels give out an MP3 online instead of press 45s to issue to radio and retail. For those who don't believe that the power of this massive undertaking is something to believe in, just get the entire MP3 from Drag City for proof. "Caledonia" is the song where everything comes together: flutes and other wind instruments play pied piper with a band that is perfectly in sync with itself, charging forward with the force of a fleet of medieval battleships making their way through a rough sea without any sign of weakness.
Things calm back down for the beautiful string, acoustic, and vocal ending of "Grisaille," and LP customers get a bonus treat of another version (the Sing Together mix) of "Caledonia." Three years ago I was championing Hypnotic Underworld as the year's first masterpiece and I can safely stand by that claim for In Stormy Nights. As the group gets better I feel in terms of ability and arrangements, I'm sad to face the possibility that their live days might actually be numbered. While I look forward to a day where I can witness Ghost live again, from the way their performance at Terrastock was billed, it isn't like that such an event will happen. At least there's no visible end in sight for the great music they continue to issue.
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