Have A Nice Life - The Unnatural World

Part 1: Have A Nice Life -- The Unnatural World

As I peruse the internet, scouring the usual medias for new music, I stumble across The Unnatural World, a ghostly looking album with menacing song titles like "Music Will Untune the Sky" and "Guggenheim Wax Museum." Craving a challenge, I start up Have A Nice Life's newest album and buckle in for a new adventure. Half expecting a member of the Metal family, I'm surprised to hear a muffled guitar part build in volume before giving way to another equally muffled guitar part. "What's wrong with my speakers?" I think to myself, slightly concerned, repeatedly unplugging and reinserting the headphone jack. After a few moments, understanding creeps forth. My eyes narrow as an old rival presents itself before me once more. "Shoegaze," I whisper. 

The Unnatural World's biggest charm and greatest turnoff are one in the same: For most of the album, creative melodies and vocals are weighted down beneath an ocean of reverb. At first listen, The Unnatural World sounds like a concert stage a half mile away. The bass parts and chord progressions can be heard (or rather felt), but the lyrics are less than vaguely discernible and any sort of melody takes a little bit of digging to get to. Where this style could easily scare off some, Have A Nice Life uses the atmospheric fuzz in a way that shows there's something worth listening to buried away. The proof is in the sweeping melodic lines and grooves ingrained in tracks like "Burial Society" and "Cropsey."

The Unnatural World never comes across as timid or unclear. Every song has a sense of massiveness that stems from the huge instrumentation -- pounding drums, thick bass, heavy guitars -- but like a giant obscured behind clouds, it's hard to make sense of these looming sounds without a few listens. 

In one way, The Unnatural World is an easy listen for the casual observer. Nothing overly difficult presents itself and repetition keeps things from entering the realm of prog-rock. On the other hand, a fully attentive listen leads to a pretty exhausting experience. Extremely rewarding, but exhausting. It's hard to shake a sense of yearning throughout most of the songs. Have A Nice Life makes you work, but they have the substance to make it all worthwhile. 

- Kane