Soft Play's "Heavy Jelly" Explores Grief and Laughter
Soft Play, the punk duo formerly known as Slaves, delivers a powerful fourth album in "Heavy Jelly". The album takes listeners on an emotional journey, tackling themes of grief, loss, and the absurdity of everyday life with raw honesty and a touch of dark humor.
The album's most poignant moment comes in the final track, "Everything and Nothing". This heartbreaking song features a delicate mandolin riff and mournful violin, creating a melancholic backdrop for Isaac Holman's raw, abrasive vocals. He bares his soul, revealing a mind tormented by grief, referencing a departed friend and seemingly alluding to the death of Laurie Vincent's partner in 2020. Holman skillfully intertwines mundane details with profound desolation, painting a haunting portrait of loss with lines like "white knuckles on the counter in the kitchen". This masterful blend of vulnerability and sonic beauty makes "Everything and Nothing" a truly remarkable song.
However, "Heavy Jelly" is not solely focused on despair. The album also boasts one of the funniest songs in recent memory, "Punk's Dead". This cleverly satirical track is a direct response to criticism surrounding the band's name change, a decision made after acknowledging the problematic connotations of their previous moniker, "Slaves". Holman expertly quotes internet naysayers, mocking their "PC baby" complaints with a biting wit. He then delivers a laugh-out-loud line about Johnny Rotten, adding a layer of absurdity to the already hilarious song.
Holman's lyrical prowess shines throughout the album, extracting absurd humor from the mundane. He writes about leaking bin bags, gym enthusiasts he describes as "Mike Tyson meets Rylan", and even a worm stranded on asphalt. This unique blend of dark humor and everyday observations makes for both compelling and entertaining listening.
While the album's sonic palette leans heavily towards harsh, atonal punk-metal, creating a potentially monotonous listening experience at times, the highlights of "Heavy Jelly" are undeniable. The emotional depth of "Everything and Nothing" and the satirical brilliance of "Punk's Dead" are just two examples of the album's diverse offerings. Despite the presence of despair, Soft Play's future seems brighter than ever, promising a continued exploration of profound emotions and humorous observations.
