`Altars` is the second album from New York singer-songwriter Adam Lytle and is his fevered exploration of the human condition. Lytle describes Altars as “A collection of songs that is united by their unwavering examination of Devotion. It’s a raw and unrelenting record but there is a strange, fragile beauty throughout.”
`Savage Thunder` leads us in and has a dystopian slightly desolate sound which reminded me of the climax scene in a Spaghetti Western movie. It appears to relate to a relationship that is almost compelling but ultimately potentially ruinous. The rhythmic guitar-driven `Lead On Desire` feels as if it`s about to explode but kind of holds itself in check. A song of craving for something that`s maybe unobtainable.
`Sister Wave` is a dreamy rolling offering that seems to be about facing an unspoken challenge. We have an almost spoken word introspection with `Midnight Shakes The Memory` which has some complementing haunting guitar chords.
I read that `That Was Me` is the story of the Crucifixion. A kind of evocative almost matter of fact oration or telling from the perspective of Christ, which was an unexpected but interesting twist. We enjoy a real slow burn with `Sanctuary`. A reference to ninety six days seems to run through the lyrics and may be a representation of a period of duality, where opposing forces can exist in harmony.
`Heaven` is a critique in the form of a journey,” Lytle explains. “It follows a character seeking meaning in a world that insists it has all the answers. We tracked it live, and with each take, the sound became more unhinged, perfectly mirroring the arc of the story.” It has a pulsating percussive beat guiding us along and does feel like you are being taken on an excursion physically as well as metaphorically. The singer has shared that `Black Masses` is a parable. A time-worn story of how the power-hungry use violence and religious fervour to achieve what they feel is their divine right to lead. It has a delightfully edgy, uneasy texture and a really vibrating hypnotic beat.
`Nothing Lies Beyond` is a tender contemplative composition with a slight Americana vibe and a real affirmation of love to that special someone. I loved lyrics such as “you`re the sun in my sky” and “you`re the one breath that gives me life,” wonderful stuff. I thought `Hollow Eyes` was captivatingly inward-looking and absorbed. The picked guitar adding an extra something.
The album closes with `Sea of Tears` a stripped back melodic, harmonic acoustic slightly melancholic number which had an almost romanesca feel.
A trawl through the social media sites will tell you that Adam Lytle writes songs that explore the darker regions of the heart and that is certainly true but there`s so much more. `Altars` is a submission that will need time to be fully appreciated and i`m sure as I return to it I’ll unearth and discover something that I didn`t hear before.
I don`t profess to understand to any great depth the lyrical content and substance shared but i`m sure we will all have our own interpretations. It`s a release that has a variety of moods and emotions and a kind of mysticism and spirituality at times. Definitely a release to take some time to savour.
Rating 8.5/10
