Back in 2010 Mike Hadreas, also known as Perfume Genius, delivered a debut album of lo-fi, intensely intimate songs based mainly around voice, pads and piano that, although the lyrics were occasionally hidden behind the production, garnered comparisons with Sufjan Stevens in its tenderness and evidence of undeniable talent. Not bad for a first record.
Now, less than a week away from his follow up hitting the shelves, those comparisons are filling column inches again alongside the like of Anthony Hegarty, Bon Iver and Joanna Newsom but even the loftier heights of Leonard Cohen, Paul Simon and Nick Drake. Despite the awful, sleazily R&B-tinged nature of the title, Put Your Back N 2 It proves that Hadreas has spent the last few years honing and sharpening his song-writing skills to shake off the “rough diamond” label that was often mentioned in conjunction with the first album and deliver a work of astonishing, timeless quality. With a strong focus still on Hadreas’ voice and piano, he displays an ear for melody, lyrics and detail far beyond his tender years that can mark him out as a true songsmith, not just a musician or a singer, to the point where these songs feel like they could appear as the ballad or anthem track on the album of any major artist of the last 30 years. That, perhaps, is the only factor potential detractors could pick up on: it’s too beautiful, it’s too perfectly rendered, you can’t make an album solely out of pure, softly spoken, elegant brilliance. Maybe we can’t. But Hadreas can.
Put Your Back N 2 It, will be released on Matador Records on the 21st of February but is currently streaming on the Spin Magazine website (here) as well as other places dotted around the web. We bring you ‘All Waters’ but highly, highly recommend you check out the album in its entirety. Stunning.
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