Everyone likes a challenge. Devin Townsend more than most. Each new record is about setting goals and attempting to achieve them. Whether it’s an introspective deep dive or an explosion of absurdist non-conformity, the progressive polymath’s albums always tend to reflect his state of mind, even if it happens to be completely barking at that particular time.
A workaholic whose energy seems to know no bounds, Townsend takes a more stripped-back approach on umpteenth album Powernerd (InsideOut Music), challenging himself to stop overthinking and adopt a more direct approach. So, while the lyrics might have taken considerably longer, all the music for his latest opus was written in a mere eleven days.
With an overarching theme of strength and healing, Powernerd takes someone/anyone regarded as insular or worthless by society and aims to give them hope and purpose. Displaying this message from the start, the title track kicks things off with help from none other than Jamey Jasta, frontman for Connecticut hardcore mob Hatebreed. Someone whose message has echoed these same sentiments for years, Jasta provides backing vocals for a cut that opens with full-tilt reckless abandon and ends with lyrics about Devin stroking his cat. Complete with meowing, just to be on the safe side.
“Falling Apart” follows, a slow and moody cut with jangling open strings, huge power chords, and a suitably inspiring chorus. “The idiots fucking rule!” proclaims Devin on “Knuckledragger,” a song that features everything from computer game noises to bongos. It’s bouncy crunch occupying the same space as “Animals.” One of the album’s undisputed highlights, “Gratitude” hits its mark next, boasting a soaring, glorious chorus you’ll never want to end. Elsewhere, the light and shade of “Ubelia,” the emotional depth of “Younger Lover,” “Glacier” and “Jainism” – a song named after a pacifistic ancient Indian religion – strike the same patterns but in different ways while the brief but ethereal “Dreams of Light” could easily have been included on Ghost (Heavy Devy/InsideOut Music).
As the record draws to a close, “Goodbye” adds an ’80s metal flavour to the raw emotion while closer “Ruby Quaker” is Devin’s brain in a nut(case?)shell. Beginning as a jaunty little number about coffee, layers are added with each verse as it soon turns into a swinging honky-tonk rock and roll song, then into full-on Death Metal brutality before climaxing with something more typically Devin. Total insanity that under anyone else’s direction becomes an instant and absolute mess but here just makes complete sense. And just in case you missed it the first time, these last five minutes of madness are about coffee. Maybe Ziltoid wrote this one himself.
Turning to several trusted, previous contributors, British drummer Darby Todd takes his place beside bass player Jean Savoie as the band’s rhythm section while keyboard duties are shared between Diego Tejeida and Mike Keneally. Additional vocals come courtesy of Aman Khosla and Tanya Ghosh (both of whom appeared on Snuggles and The Puzzle) and even the artwork is provided by another long-time collaborator Travis Smith
After promising to cut down on the meandering and writing something much more direct, it has to be said that, despite a handful of predictable but fun side missions, the final product this time is a lot leaner than his last couple of studio outings. Often recalling Epicloud at its finest, Powernerd is an uplifting journey of self-affirmation and perseverance (with added cats and coffee) that empowers and rewards the introvert in us all.
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9 / 10
GARY ALCOCK
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