ADORE LIFE

On Silence Yourself, Savages' passion burned so brightly it seemed like it might consume itself before they could record a second album. Fortunately, Adore Life proves that the band not only has the endurance to return, but the finesse to come back better than ever. Jehnny Beth and company sound as bold as they did on their debut, but with a newfound precision that only makes their impact more powerful. Adore Life depicts love's most fearsome and joyous sides with a hunger that feels like these songs are really about devouring and being devoured. The churning opener "The Answer" boils relationships down to the plainest ultimatum possible: "If you don't love me/Don't love anybody." Yet it's "Adore" that provides the album's stunning heart. Equal parts torch song and manifesto, it channels impatient desire via a low-slung, swaggering tempo and only explodes in its final moments in an expression of just how instinctual, and undeniable the need for love is. Silence Yourself's "Marshall Dear" explored similar territory, but on this song and throughout Adore Life, Savages sound more masterful and more natural. They effortlessly demand or seduce attention from their listeners as they see fit, opting for the former approach on the seething "I Need Something New," the latter on the meditative "Slowing Down the World," and skillfully combining the two on "TIWYG," where tough, lean verses and wildfire guitars give way to a psychedelic bridge. Similarly, where Silence Yourself's ferocity sometimes felt like a barrier, their emotional range is far greater on Adore Life. Savages show they have a sense of humor, and can use it just as formidably as their more expected moods: "I'm not gonna hurt you/'Cuz I'm flirting with you," Beth sneers on "Sad Person," a moment of mischief that doesn't detract from the feeling that flirting with her might be a little like being hunted. Similarly, when she mutters "I hate your taste in music" on "When in Love," it humanizes the beauty and terror of succumbing to powerful feelings, if only briefly. A striking second album, the different perspectives Adore Life bring to Savages' music make them sound more vital than ever. ~ Heather Phares