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| alt =
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2017|9|29|df=yes}}
| released = {{Start date|2017|9|29|df=yes}}
| recorded = 64 Sound <small>([[Los Angeles]])</small>
| recorded =
| venue =
| venue =
| studio =
| studio = 64 Sound <small>([[Los Angeles]])</small>
| genre = *[[Post-punk]]
| genre = *[[Post-punk]]
*[[art punk]]
*[[art punk]]
*[[noise rock]]
*[[noise rock]]
| length = 43:35
| length = 43:35
| label = [[Domino Recording Company]]
| label = [[Domino Recording Company|Domino]]
| producer = Protomartyr and Sonny DiPerri
| producer = Protomartyr and Sonny DiPerri
| prev_title = [[The Agent Intellect]]
| prev_title = [[The Agent Intellect]]
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'''''Relatives in Descent''''' is the fourth [[studio album]] by American [[post-punk]] band [[Protomartyr (band)|Protomartyr]] released on 29 September 2017. Their first to be released through [[Domino Recording Company]], the album is much darker and more philosophical than its predecessors.
'''''Relatives in Descent''''' is the fourth [[studio album]] by American [[post-punk]] band [[Protomartyr (band)|Protomartyr]] released on 29 September 2017. Their first to be released through [[Domino Recording Company]], the album is much darker and more philosophical than its predecessors. While lyrically not a concept album,<ref name=nyt>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/27/arts/music/protomartyr-relatives-in-descent-review.html|title=Protomartyr Turns Dread Into Post-Post-Punk on 'Relatives in Descent'|first=Jon|last=Pareles|date=September 27, 2017|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> it is produced so that many songs flow from one to another seamlessly. ''Relatives in Descent'' received critical acclaim upon release, with many publications ranking it one of the best albums of the year.


==Recording==
==Recording==
The band hired Sonny DiPerri to co-produce this album (known for his work with [[Animal Collective]]). In an interview, lead singer Joe Casey said that "we knew we wanted to go someplace different to record than the previous two records, so we wouldn’t get in a rut [...] what was so great about Sonny was that he was very locked in to what we wanted."<ref name="tidal.com">{{cite web|url=http://read.tidal.com/article/protomartyrs-joe-casey-on-why-hes-obsessed-with-decay|title=Protomartyr’s Joe Casey on Why He’s Obsessed with Decay|website=read.tidal.com}}</ref> He said that the band "wanted to record somewhere warm and we went to [[California]]. Usually, we are recording in [[Michigan]] and it is characteristically cold."<ref name="tidal.com"/> According to Casey, the change in recording location also helped them write more complicated songs than before.<ref name="tidal.com"/>
The band hired Sonny DiPerri to co-produce this album (known for his work with [[Animal Collective]]). In an interview, lead singer [[Joe Casey (musician)|Joe Casey]] said that "we knew we wanted to go someplace different to record than the previous two records, so we wouldn't get in a rut [...] what was so great about Sonny was that he was very locked in to what we wanted."<ref name="tidal.com">{{cite web|url=http://read.tidal.com/article/protomartyrs-joe-casey-on-why-hes-obsessed-with-decay|title=Protomartyr's Joe Casey on Why He's Obsessed with Decay|website=read.tidal.com}}</ref> He said that the band "wanted to record somewhere warm and we went to [[California]]. Usually, we are recording in [[Michigan]] and it is characteristically cold."<ref name="tidal.com"/> According to Casey, the change in recording location also helped them write more complicated songs than before.<ref name="tidal.com"/>


Guitarist Greg Ahee "was kind of enthralled with a certain kind of violin sound we heard [...] on a [[The Raincoats|Raincoats]] record called ''[[Odyshape]]'' and then he wanted violin on the record. At first we heard it, and we all just thought, ‘Ah shit, I don’t know if that’s going to work or not.’"<ref name="tidal.com"/> He was also influenced by [[Mica Levi]]'s score to ''[[Under the Skin (2013 film)|Under the Skin]]''<ref>[https://www.thestranger.com/music/2017/10/11/25464458/scraping-by-with-protomartyr]</ref>. Asked on the source of the album's direction, Casey said: "For this record, we had just come off the road after doing a lot of touring. There were a lot of aches and pains so there was a lot of references to guts and generally feeling unwell. After the tour, my house also flooded. Before then, it had this smell of smoke and dust. Now I’ve got this mildew smell on top of that and the combination of these sensations and smell kind of infected the record."<ref name="tidal.com"/>
Guitarist Greg Ahee "was kind of enthralled with a certain kind of violin sound we heard [...] on a [[The Raincoats|Raincoats]] record called ''[[Odyshape]]'' and then he wanted violin on the record. At first we heard it, and we all just thought, 'Ah shit, I don't know if that's going to work or not.'"<ref name="tidal.com"/> He was also influenced by [[Mica Levi]]'s score to ''[[Under the Skin (2013 film)|Under the Skin]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestranger.com/music/2017/10/11/25464458/scraping-by-with-protomartyr|title=Scraping By with Protomartyr|first=Mark|last=Lore|website=The Stranger}}</ref> Asked on the source of the album's direction, Casey said: "For this record, we had just come off the road after doing a lot of touring. There were a lot of aches and pains so there was a lot of references to guts and generally feeling unwell. After the tour, my house also flooded. Before then, it had this smell of smoke and dust. Now I've got this mildew smell on top of that and the combination of these sensations and smell kind of infected the record."<ref name="tidal.com"/>


==Content==
==Content==

⚫
According to ''[[NPR]]'', the album is "a collection of lyrically dense, deeply philosophical [...] songs that grapple with some of life's thorniest questions: What does it mean to be human? What is truth? What is the nature of good and evil?"<ref name="npr.org">{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2017/09/29/553963443/what-s-the-meaning-of-life-ask-protomartyr|title=What's The Meaning Of Life? Ask Protomartyr|website=NPR.org}}</ref>. Casey refuses to classify the album as "an anti-[[Donald Trump|Trump]] album [...] I don’t think this album is any more political than our previous records, but people are picking up on it more because it’s a constant bombardment”<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1964335/a-new-dark-age-protomartyr-on-relatives-in-descent/franchises/interview/|title=Protomartyr On New Album 'Relatives In Descent'|date=26 September 2017|publisher=}}</ref> despite being "half informed by America, post-election"<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://gothamist.com/2017/10/27/interview_protomartyrs_sexy_sad_pos.php|title=An Interview With Protomartyr Frontman Joe Casey About 'Male Plague' & Nuclear Annihilation|first=Christopher|last=Robbins|website=Gothamist|access-date=2018-09-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828184140/http://gothamist.com/2017/10/27/interview_protomartyrs_sexy_sad_pos.php|archive-date=2018-08-28|url-status=dead}}</ref>. "A Private Understanding", which is "almost a worldwide proclamation about the dire state of things (with apocalyptic [[Donald Trump|trumpets]] even)", references [[Elvis Presley]]'s vision of [[Jesus]] in a desert and the [[Flint water crisis]]<ref name="auto"/>. "Here is The Thing" is a "repeat of the same feeling but with a more personal, local take", the titular "Thing" being "unfettered [[capitalism]] at the expense of humanity."<ref name="npr.org"/> The song "My Children" deals with "legacy and what we leave behind: offspring, stone monuments, genetics [...]" and includes a reference to [[David Bowie]]<ref name="npr.org"/>. "Windsor Hum" references a real phenomenon in its title, "a very low frequency hum [...] described as a massive refrigerator running. It’s constant, so if you do hear it, you can’t get it out of your head and it can drive you crazy" that one can hear emanating from [[Windsor, Ontario|Windsor]] "across [[Detroit River|the river]]"<ref name="auto"/>. "Caitriona" references the main character of ''[[Cré na Cille]]'' by [[Máirtín Ó Cadhain]] and describes "an afterlife of comically complaining in your coffin about everything, including your stupid son, for all eternity."<ref name="npr.org"/> "The Chuckler" "is about trying to get through the day-to-day grind of living with all its loneliness and frustrations while the shadow of global meltdown darkens your door. I would describe the chuckle of the main character as being very, very hollow."<ref name="npr.org"/> The imaginary titular city in "Don't Go To Anacita" is a pseudo-homophonic pun for “any city”<ref>{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/12761721/Protomartyr-dont-go-to-anacita/Anacita|title=Anacita|website=Genius}}</ref> that has been described "as an affluent suburb that looks quaint and respectable but maybe has too many cops for the population size."<ref name="npr.org"/> "Up The Tower", a "fantasy folk song about a craven, money-hungry troll that lived at the top of a golden tower and the heroic townspeople that would eventually dethrone him", was influenced by [[Charley Pride]]'s cover of "[[Crystal Chandelier]]" and contains a reference to ''[[The English Mail-Coach]]'' by [[Thomas De Quincey]]<ref name="npr.org"/>. The song "Male Plague" deals with "weird toxic male attitude" he had witnessed from his experience in the "music iundustry [sic]".<ref name="auto"/> "Corpses In Regalia" incorporates dream imagery and is influenced by ''[[Our Lady of Darkness]]'' by [[Fritz Leiber]]<ref name="npr.org"/>. The closing track "Half Sister" is a "swaggering, misanthropic song in which Casey tells three (fictional) tales from different points in history all regarding the idea of '[[truth]]'"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/20088/reviews/4151375|title=Album Review: Protomartyr - Relatives In Descent|website=DrownedInSound}}</ref>, ending with the refrain "''She's just trying to reach you''" which also ends the opening track "A Private Understanding", hence bringing the album "full circle" with the sense that "hope isn’t quite dead, but it’s also no closer than when we started."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2017/09/album-review-protomartyr-relatives-in-descent/|title=Album Review: Protomartyr – Relatives in Descent|date=27 September 2017|publisher=}}</ref>
===Style===
According to [[John Pareles]]:<ref name=nyt/>

<blockquote>[O]n its fourth album, the band is moving toward an idiom that's more flexible and contrasty yet just as gripping: Protomartyr's own post-[[post-punk]]. Its expanded vocabulary includes relentless [[Minimalist]] repetition, melodic (though still jagged) guitar leads, precise gradations of clarity and distortion, violin parts that subtly link tracks together and song structures that keep taking left turns.</blockquote>

[[Greg Kot]] describes the instrumentation as thus:<ref name=ct/>

<blockquote>Greg Ahee's guitar ambushes the arrangements. It lunges out of the silence in "A Private Understanding" and "Windsor Hum." Bassist Scott Davidson knows when to push the melody and when to anchor the chaos with a steady pulse. Drummer Alex Leonard complements Casey's delivery rather than overwhelming it, his touch unerring yet spacious.</blockquote>

===Themes===
⚫
According to ''[[NPR]]'', the album is "a collection of lyrically dense, deeply philosophical [...] songs that grapple with some of life's thorniest questions: What does it mean to be human? What is truth? What is the nature of good and evil?".<ref name="npr.org">{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2017/09/29/553963443/what-s-the-meaning-of-life-ask-protomartyr|title=What's The Meaning Of Life? Ask Protomartyr|website=NPR.org}}</ref> Casey refuses to classify the album as "an anti-[[Donald Trump|Trump]] album [...] I don't think this album is any more political than our previous records, but people are picking up on it more because it's a constant bombardment"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1964335/a-new-dark-age-protomartyr-on-relatives-in-descent/franchises/interview/|title=Protomartyr On New Album 'Relatives In Descent'|date=26 September 2017|publisher=}}</ref> despite being "half informed by America, post-election".<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://gothamist.com/2017/10/27/interview_protomartyrs_sexy_sad_pos.php|title=An Interview With Protomartyr Frontman Joe Casey About 'Male Plague' & Nuclear Annihilation|first=Christopher|last=Robbins|website=Gothamist|access-date=2018-09-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828184140/http://gothamist.com/2017/10/27/interview_protomartyrs_sexy_sad_pos.php|archive-date=2018-08-28|url-status=dead}}</ref> "A Private Understanding", which is "almost a worldwide proclamation about the dire state of things (with apocalyptic [[Donald Trump|trumpets]] even)", references [[Elvis Presley]]'s vision of [[Jesus]] in a desert and the [[Flint water crisis]].<ref name="auto"/> "Here is The Thing" is a "repeat of the same feeling but with a more personal, local take", the titular "Thing" being "unfettered [[capitalism]] at the expense of humanity."<ref name="npr.org"/> The song "My Children" deals with "legacy and what we leave behind: offspring, stone monuments, genetics [...]" and includes a reference to [[David Bowie]].<ref name="npr.org"/> "Windsor Hum" references a real phenomenon in its title, "a very low frequency hum [...] described as a massive refrigerator running. It's constant, so if you do hear it, you can't get it out of your head and it can drive you crazy" that one can hear emanating from [[Windsor, Ontario|Windsor]] "across [[Detroit River|the river]]".<ref name="auto"/> "Caitriona" references the main character of ''[[Cré na Cille]]'' by [[Máirtín Ó Cadhain]] and describes "an afterlife of comically complaining in your coffin about everything, including your stupid son, for all eternity."<ref name="npr.org"/> "The Chuckler" "is about trying to get through the day-to-day grind of living with all its loneliness and frustrations while the shadow of global meltdown darkens your door. I would describe the chuckle of the main character as being very, very hollow."<ref name="npr.org"/> The imaginary titular city in "Don't Go To Anacita" is a pseudo-homophonic pun for "any city"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/12761721/Protomartyr-dont-go-to-anacita/Anacita|title=Anacita|website=Genius}}</ref> that has been described "as an affluent suburb that looks quaint and respectable but maybe has [[police state|too many cops for the population size]]."<ref name="npr.org"/> "Up The Tower", a "fantasy folk song about a craven, money-hungry troll that lived at the top of a golden tower and the heroic townspeople that would eventually dethrone him", was influenced by [[Charley Pride]]'s cover of "[[Crystal Chandelier]]" and contains a reference to ''[[The English Mail-Coach]]'' by [[Thomas De Quincey]].<ref name="npr.org"/> The song "Male Plague" deals with "weird toxic male attitude" he had witnessed from his experience in the "music iundustry [sic]".<ref name="auto"/> "Corpses In Regalia" incorporates dream imagery and is influenced by ''[[Our Lady of Darkness]]'' by [[Fritz Leiber]].<ref name="npr.org"/> The closing track "Half Sister" is a "swaggering, misanthropic song in which Casey tells three (fictional) tales from different points in history all regarding the idea of '[[truth]]'",<ref name=dis>{{cite web|url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/20088/reviews/4151375|title=Album Review: Protomartyr - Relatives In Descent|website=DrownedInSound|access-date=2017-11-06|archive-date=2017-11-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107011100/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/20088/reviews/4151375|url-status=dead}}</ref> ending with the refrain "''She's just trying to reach you''" which also ends the opening track "A Private Understanding", hence bringing the album "full circle" with the sense that "hope isn't quite dead, but it's also no closer than when we started."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2017/09/album-review-protomartyr-relatives-in-descent/|title=Album Review: Protomartyr – Relatives in Descent|date=27 September 2017|publisher=}}</ref>


===Artwork===
===Artwork===
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==Release==
==Release==
The album was released on the 29th of September 2017 through [[Domino Recording Company]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Protomartyr-Relatives-In-Descent-/release/10915802|title=Protomartyr (2) - Relatives In Descent|website=Discogs}}</ref>
The album was released on the 29th of September 2017 through [[Domino Recording Company]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Protomartyr-Relatives-In-Descent-/release/10915802|title=Protomartyr (2) - Relatives In Descent|website=Discogs}}</ref>
The tracks "A Private Understanding", "My Children" and "Don't Go To Anacita" were released as singles on July 10th, August 15th and October 27th respectively. The videos for "A Private Understanding" (directed by Tony Wolski and Trevor Naud) and "Don't Go To Anacita" (directed by Yoonha Park) were uploaded through the band's official [[YouTube]] channel on the aforementioned dates of their release.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1951025/protomartyr-a-private-understanding-video/video/|title=Protomartyr – “A Private Understanding” Video|date=10 July 2017|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/listening-booth/fighting-technology-and-kombucha-and-complacency-with-protomartyr|title=Fighting Technology and Kombucha and Complacency with Protomartyr|first=Lauretta|last=Charlton|date=27 October 2017|publisher=|via=www.newyorker.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXL3qz_2IdljO3JD9ULJ-gg?&ab_channel=protomartyr|title=protomartyr|website=YouTube}}</ref>
The tracks "A Private Understanding", "My Children" and "Don't Go To Anacita" were released as singles on July 10, August 15 and October 27th respectively. The videos for "A Private Understanding" (directed by Tony Wolski and Trevor Naud) and "Don't Go To Anacita" (directed by Yoonha Park) were uploaded through the band's official [[YouTube]] channel on the aforementioned dates of their release.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1951025/protomartyr-a-private-understanding-video/video/|title=Protomartyr – "A Private Understanding" Video|date=10 July 2017|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/listening-booth/fighting-technology-and-kombucha-and-complacency-with-protomartyr|title=Fighting Technology and Kombucha and Complacency with Protomartyr|first=Lauretta|last=Charlton|date=27 October 2017|publisher=|via=www.newyorker.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXL3qz_2IdljO3JD9ULJ-gg?&ab_channel=protomartyr|title=protomartyr|website=YouTube}}</ref>


==Reception==
==Reception==
{{Album reviews
{{Album reviews
| ADM = 8.2/10<ref name="anydecentmusic.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/8955/Protomartyr-Relatives-In-Descent.aspx|title=Relatives In Descent by Protomartyr reviews|website=[[AnyDecentMusic?]]|accessdate=November 2, 2017}}</ref>
| ADM = 8.2/10<ref name="anydecentmusic.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/8955/Protomartyr-Relatives-In-Descent.aspx|title=Relatives In Descent by Protomartyr reviews|website=AnyDecentMusic?|accessdate=November 2, 2017}}</ref>
| MC = 85/100<ref name="mc">{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/relatives-in-descent/protomartyr|title=Reviews and Tracks for Relatives in Descent by Protomartyr|website=[[Metacritic]]|accessdate=November 2, 2017}}</ref>
| MC = 85/100<ref name="mc">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/relatives-in-descent/protomartyr|title=Reviews and Tracks for Relatives in Descent by Protomartyr|website=[[Metacritic]]|accessdate=November 2, 2017}}</ref>
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/relatives-in-descent-mw0003080210|title=Relatives in Descent – Protomartyr|first=Mark|last=Deming|website=[[AllMusic]]|accessdate=November 2, 2017}}</ref>
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/relatives-in-descent-mw0003080210|title=Relatives in Descent – Protomartyr|first=Mark|last=Deming|website=[[AllMusic]]|accessdate=April 22, 2020}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[The A.V. Club]]''
| rev2 = ''[[The A.V. Club]]''
| rev2score = B+<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/the-new-protomartyr-record-sounds-as-bleak-as-everythin-1818625428|title=The new Protomartyr record sounds as bleak as everything feels|first=Clayton|last=Purdom|website=[[The A.V. Club]]|date=September 27, 2017|accessdate=November 23, 2017}}</ref>
| rev2score = B+<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/the-new-protomartyr-record-sounds-as-bleak-as-everythin-1818625428|title=The new Protomartyr record sounds as bleak as everything feels|first=Clayton|last=Purdom|website=[[The A.V. Club]]|date=September 27, 2017|accessdate=November 23, 2017}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''
| rev3 = ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''
| rev3score = {{Rating|3.5|4}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/sc-ent-protomartyr-relatives-in-descent-0929-story.html|title=World's compass feels askew on Protomartyr's 'Relatives in Descent'|first=Greg|last=Kot|authorlink=Greg Kot|website=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=September 29, 2017|accessdate=November 23, 2017}}</ref>
| rev3score = {{Rating|3.5|4}}<ref name=ct>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/sc-ent-protomartyr-relatives-in-descent-0929-story.html|title=World's compass feels askew on Protomartyr's 'Relatives in Descent'|first=Greg|last=Kot|author-link=Greg Kot|website=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=September 29, 2017|accessdate=November 23, 2017}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[Financial Times]]''
| rev4 = ''[[Financial Times]]''
| rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/35c7ac8c-a3ec-11e7-b797-b61809486fe2|title=Protomartyr: Relatives in Descent — ‘noisy but expertly deployed’|first=Ludovic|last=Hunter-Tilney|website=[[Financial Times]]|date=September 29, 2017|accessdate=May 11, 2019|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
| rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/35c7ac8c-a3ec-11e7-b797-b61809486fe2|title=Protomartyr: Relatives in Descent — 'noisy but expertly deployed'|first=Ludovic|last=Hunter-Tilney|website=[[Financial Times]]|date=September 29, 2017|accessdate=May 11, 2019|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[The Guardian]]''
| rev5 = ''[[The Guardian]]''
| rev5score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/sep/28/protomartyr-relatives-in-descent-review-sensational-bloodied-but-unbowed-post-punk|title=Protomartyr: Relatives in Descent review – sensational, bloodied but unbowed post-punk|first=Ben|last=Beaumont-Thomas|website=[[The Guardian]]|date=September 28, 2017|accessdate=November 23, 2017}}</ref>
| rev5score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name=g>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/sep/28/protomartyr-relatives-in-descent-review-sensational-bloodied-but-unbowed-post-punk|title=Protomartyr: Relatives in Descent review – sensational, bloodied but unbowed post-punk|first=Ben|last=Beaumont-Thomas|website=[[The Guardian]]|date=September 28, 2017|accessdate=November 23, 2017}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[NME]]''
| rev6 = ''[[NME]]''
| rev6score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/protomartyr-relatives-in-descent-review-2145681|title=Protomartyr – 'Relatives In Descent' Review|first=Thomas|last=Smith|website=[[NME]]|date=September 29, 2017|accessdate=December 13, 2019}}</ref>
| rev6score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name=nme>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/protomartyr-relatives-in-descent-review-2145681|title=Protomartyr – 'Relatives In Descent' Review|first=Thomas|last=Smith|website=[[NME]]|date=September 29, 2017|accessdate=December 13, 2019}}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]''
| rev7 = ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]''
| rev7score = 6.9/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/protomartyr-relatives-in-descent/|title=Protomartyr: Relatives in Descent|first=Paul|last=Thompson|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|date=October 2, 2017|accessdate=November 2, 2017}}</ref>
| rev7score = 6.9/10<ref name=pf>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/protomartyr-relatives-in-descent/|title=Protomartyr: Relatives in Descent|first=Paul|last=Thompson|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|date=October 2, 2017|accessdate=November 2, 2017}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''
| rev8 = ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''
| rev8score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite journal|title=Protomartyr: Relatives in Descent|first=James|last=Oldham|work=[[Q (magazine)|Q]]|issue=378|date=November 2017|page=112}}</ref>
| rev8score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite journal|title=Protomartyr: Relatives in Descent|first=James|last=Oldham|journal=[[Q (magazine)|Q]]|issue=378|date=November 2017|page=112}}</ref>
| rev9 = ''[[Record Collector]]''
| rev9 = ''[[Record Collector]]''
| rev9score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/relatives-descent|title=Protomartyr – Relatives In Descent|first=Kevin|last=Harley|work=[[Record Collector]]|issue=472|date=November 2017|accessdate=November 1, 2018}}</ref>
| rev9score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/relatives-descent|title=Protomartyr – Relatives In Descent|first=Kevin|last=Harley|journal=[[Record Collector]]|issue=472|date=November 2017|accessdate=November 1, 2018}}</ref>
| rev10 = ''[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]''
| rev10 = ''[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]''
| rev10score = 8/10<ref>{{cite journal|title=Protomartyr: Relatives in Descent|first=Peter|last=Watts|work=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]|issue=246|date=November 2017|page=35}}</ref>
| rev10score = 8/10<ref>{{cite journal|title=Protomartyr: Relatives in Descent|first=Peter|last=Watts|journal=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]|issue=246|date=November 2017|page=35}}</ref>
}}
}}


===Critical===
⚫
The album, like its predecessors, received critical acclaim from several sources<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/feature/critics-pick-top-10-best-albums-of-2017|title=Best of 2017: Music Critic Top Ten Lists|website=Metacritic}}</ref>. According to [[Metacritic]], the album has a "metascore" of 85 based on 25 reviews.<ref name="mc"/> It also has a score of 8.2 based on 21 reviews on the site [[AnyDecentMusic?]].<ref name="anydecentmusic.com"/>

⚫
The album, like its predecessors, received critical acclaim from several sources.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/feature/critics-pick-top-10-best-albums-of-2017|title=Best of 2017: Music Critic Top Ten Lists|website=Metacritic|access-date=2019-03-19|archive-date=2021-01-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118201758/https://www.metacritic.com/feature/critics-pick-top-10-best-albums-of-2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to [[Metacritic]], the album has a "metascore" of 85 based on 25 reviews.<ref name="mc"/> It also has a score of 8.2 based on 21 reviews on the site AnyDecentMusic?.<ref name="anydecentmusic.com"/>

In a perfect score review for ''[[The Guardian]]'', Ben Beaumont-Thomas called the album "sensational" and praised Casey's "soapbox poetry" lyrics, noting that it "never becomes leaden or pedantic" despite tackling serious issues.<ref name=g/> "While his band has grown into a post-punk monster," wrote Ben Salmon for ''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]'', "Casey, too, has moved beyond his personal frets and frustrations and developed into a lyricist capable of clear and compelling commentary. He's a voice worth listening to."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/protomartyr/protomartyr-relatives-in-descent-review/|title=Protomartyr: Relatives In Descent Review|date=October 9, 2017|website=pastemagazine.com}}</ref> In another perfect score review, Danny Carter of ''[[Loud and Quiet]]'' noted that the cryptic nature of the [[Joycean]] lyrics "[help] the album steer clear of being a tacky "[[fake news]]" concept piece." The review also praised the "expertly played" music, and the publication would later go on to rank it the best album of the year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.loudandquiet.com/reviews/protomartyr-relatives-descent/|title=Protomartyr - Relatives In Descent - Album review|website=Loud And Quiet}}</ref><ref name=loq/> Adam-Turner Heffer of [[Drowned in Sound]] called it "fairly incredible", and praised "A Private Understanding" as the best song of the year.<ref name=dis/> ''[[NME]]'''s Thomas Smith called Casey an "elite wordsmith", and wrote - in reference to the song - that the band "have proved that they can be that cereus, blooming in the dark times we inhabit – and continue blossoming into a formidable and vital band."<ref name=nme/>

[[Tiny Mix Tapes]]'s Sean Hannah, on the other hand, noted that "Casey is at his lyrical best when tackling philosophical questions obliquely rather than head on". Despite this, they praised "Protomartyr's commitment to crafting challenging, academic songs reflective of their harried social and political climate."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/protomartyr-relatives-descent|title=Music Review: Protomartyr - Relatives in Descent|website=Tiny Mix Tapes}}</ref> In a similarly mixed review, Paul Thomson of [[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] - while praising the band's ambition - took issue with some of the "scattershot" song structures and the cryptic nature of the lyrics in comparison with the band's past releases: "[B]y inching away from the Detroit-centered world-building of previous Protomartyr records, Casey's sacrificed a certain amount of the thematic consistency that's helped past records hold their center; these songs here, for better and worse, splay out all over the map."<ref name=pf/>


===Accolades===
===Accolades===

The website [[Acclaimed Music]] finds it to be the 29th most acclaimed album of 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/album/A5967.htm|title=Acclaimed Music|website=www.acclaimedmusic.net|access-date=2019-02-26}}</ref>
{|class="sortable wikitable"
{|class="sortable wikitable"
|-
|-
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| {{center|2017}}
| {{center|2017}}
| {{center|#42}}
| {{center|#42}}
| {{center|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/list/nmes-albums-of-the-year-2017-2161481|title=NME's Albums of the Year 2017|work= [[NME]] |publisher= |date=November 23, 2017 |accessdate=November 28, 2017}}</ref>}}
| {{center|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/list/nmes-albums-of-the-year-2017-2161481|title=NME's Albums of the Year 2017|work= [[NME]] |publisher= |date=November 23, 2017 |accessdate=November 28, 2017}}</ref>}}
|-
|-
|''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]'' ([[Ben Ratliff]])
|''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]'' ([[Ben Ratliff]])
Line 102: Line 119:
|{{center|2017}}
|{{center|2017}}
|{{center|#1}}
|{{center|#1}}
|{{center|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loudandquiet.com/short/best-albums-2017-loud-and-quiet-top-40/|title=The Loud And Quiet top 40 albums of 2017|publisher=|date=December 8, 2017|accessdate=January 10, 2018}}</ref>}}
|{{center|<ref name=loq>{{cite web|url=https://www.loudandquiet.com/short/best-albums-2017-loud-and-quiet-top-40/|title=The Loud And Quiet top 40 albums of 2017|publisher=|date=December 8, 2017|accessdate=January 10, 2018}}</ref>}}
|-
|-
|''[[OOR]]''
|''[[OOR]]''
Line 114: Line 131:
|{{center|2017}}
|{{center|2017}}
|{{center|#3}}
|{{center|#3}}
|{{center|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://state.ie/features/states-albums-2017|title=Lists: State’s Albums of 2017|publisher=|date=December 17, 2017|accessdate=January 10, 2018}}</ref>}}
|{{center|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://state.ie/features/states-albums-2017|title=Lists: State's Albums of 2017|publisher=|date=December 17, 2017|accessdate=January 10, 2018}}</ref>}}
|-
|-
|''[[The Guardian]]''
|''[[The Guardian]]''
Line 120: Line 137:
|{{center|2017}}
|{{center|2017}}
|{{center|#24}}
|{{center|#24}}
|{{center|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/dec/05/the-best-albums-of-2017|title=The best albums of 2017: the full list|publisher=|date=December 5, 2017|accessdate=January 10, 2018}}</ref>}}
|{{center|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/dec/05/the-best-albums-of-2017|title=The best albums of 2017: the full list|website=[[TheGuardian.com]] |publisher=|date=December 5, 2017|accessdate=January 10, 2018}}</ref>}}
|-
|-
|''[[Sound Opinions]]'' ([[Greg Kot]])
|''[[Sound Opinions]]'' ([[Greg Kot]])
Line 132: Line 149:
|{{center|2017}}
|{{center|2017}}
|{{center|#11}}
|{{center|#11}}
|{{center|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsweek.com/best-albums-2017-kendrick-lamar-damn-lorde-vince-staples-741614|title=The 17 Best Albums of 2017|publisher=|date=December 15, 2017|accessdate=January 10, 2018}}</ref>}}
|{{center|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsweek.com/best-albums-2017-kendrick-lamar-damn-lorde-vince-staples-741614|title=The 17 Best Albums of 2017|website=[[Newsweek]] |publisher=|date=December 15, 2017|accessdate=January 10, 2018}}</ref>}}
|-
|-
|''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ([[Rob Sheffield]])
|''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ([[Rob Sheffield]])
Line 138: Line 155:
|{{center|2017}}
|{{center|2017}}
|{{center|#7}}
|{{center|#7}}
|{{center|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/rob-sheffields-top-20-albums-of-2017-w514308/protomartyr-relatives-in-descent-w514316|title=Rob Sheffield's Top 20 Albums of 2017|publisher=|date=December 20, 2017|accessdate=January 10, 2018}}</ref>}}
|{{center|<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/rob-sheffields-top-20-albums-of-2017-w514308/protomartyr-relatives-in-descent-w514316|title=Rob Sheffield's Top 20 Albums of 2017|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |publisher=|date=December 20, 2017|accessdate=January 10, 2018}}</ref>}}
|-
|-
|[[The Skinny (magazine)|''The Skinny'']]
|[[The Skinny (magazine)|''The Skinny'']]
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|{{center|#10}}
|{{center|#10}}
|{{center|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/opinion/albums-of-the-year/the-skinny-top-50-albums-of-2017|title=The Skinny's Top 50 Albums of 2017|website=www.theskinny.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2019-02-26}}</ref>}}
|{{center|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/opinion/albums-of-the-year/the-skinny-top-50-albums-of-2017|title=The Skinny's Top 50 Albums of 2017|website=www.theskinny.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2019-02-26}}</ref>}}
⚫
|-
|''[[:it:Claudio Fabretti|OndaRock]]''
|Our 2017 Favorites
|{{center|2017}}
|{{center|#2}}
|{{center|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ondarock.it/classifiche/2017.php|title=I nostri preferiti del 2017|language=it|website=[[:it:Claudio Fabretti|OndaRock]]|accessdate=2020-08-26}}</ref>}}
|}
|}


The album would go on to receive other accolades as well:
⚫
== Charts ==

⚫
{| class="wikitable"
{|class="sortable wikitable"
⚫
|+
|-
⚫
!Chart
! Publication
!Country
! Accolade
⚫
!Position
! Year
! Rank
! class="unsortable"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
| ''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]''
| The 40 Best Punk Albums of the 2010s
| {{center|2019}}
| {{center|#19}}
| {{center|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/best-albums/40-best-punk-albums-of-the-2010s/|title=The 40 Best Punk Albums of the 2010s|publisher= |date=November 23, 2019 |accessdate=May 2, 2020}}</ref>}}
|-
|-
| ''[[Magic (music magazine)|Magic]]''
|[[Billboard charts|Billboard (]][[Independent Albums]])
| 150 Records That Made The 2010s
|US
| {{center|2019}}
|#22<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/protomartyr|title=Protomartyr Relatives In Descent Chart History|website=Billboard|access-date=2019-03-05}}</ref>
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.magicrpm.com/216-les-150-disques-de-la-decennie-2010-en-vente-uniquement-sur-magicrpm-com/|language=fr|title=Les 150 disques de la décennie 2010… en vente uniquement sur magicrpm.com
|website=[[Magic (music magazine)|Magic]]|date=September 4, 2019|accessdate=December 8, 2020}}</ref>}}
|-
|-
| ''Soundblab''
|[[Billboard charts|Billboard]] [[Top Heatseekers|(Top Heatseekers]])
| The Best Post-Punk Albums Of The 21st Century
|US
| {{center|2019}}
|#4<ref name="auto1"/>
| {{center|#12}}
| {{center|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://soundblab.com/lists/the-best-post-punk-albums-of-the-21st-century|title=The Best Post-Punk Albums of the 21st Century|publisher= |date=May 3, 2019 |accessdate=May 2, 2020}}</ref>}}
|-
|-
| ''Getintothis''
|[[Ultratop]]
| Getintothis' best 100 albums of the decade
|Netherlands
| {{center|2019}}
|#144<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitemurl.asp?cat=a&id=5235d&realurl=/fr/album/5235d/protomartyr-relatives-in-descent|title=Protomartyr - Relatives In Descent|website=ultratop.be|access-date=2019-03-05}}</ref>
| {{center|#99}}
| {{center|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.getintothis.co.uk/2019/12/getintothis-best-100-albums-of-the-decade-a-reflection-on-the-2010s/|title=Getintothis' best 100 albums of the decade – a reflection on the 2010s |publisher= |date=December 2, 2019 |accessdate=May 2, 2020}}</ref>}}
|}
|}


Line 172: Line 211:
==Track listing==
==Track listing==
{{Track listing
{{Track listing
| writing_credits
| writing_credits =
| total_length = 43:35
| total_length = 43:35
| title1 = A Private Understanding
| title1 = A Private Understanding
Line 202: Line 241:
==Personnel==
==Personnel==
;Protomartyr
;Protomartyr
* Joe Casey – vocals
* [[Joe Casey (musician)|Joe Casey]] – vocals
* Greg Ahee – guitars, piano, synth
* Greg Ahee – guitars, piano, synth
* Scott Davidson – bass
* Scott Davidson – bass
Line 210: Line 249:
* Olivier Demeaux - synth on tracks 1, 3, 4, 8, 9
* Olivier Demeaux - synth on tracks 1, 3, 4, 8, 9
* Tyler Karmen - violin on tracks 1, 2, 5, 11
* Tyler Karmen - violin on tracks 1, 2, 5, 11

⚫
== Charts ==
⚫
{| class="wikitable"
|+Chart performance for ''Relatives in Descent''
⚫
!Chart
⚫
!Position
|-
{{Album chart|Netherlands|144|artist=Protomartyr|album=Relatives in Descent|access-date=24 August 2020|rowheader=yes}}
|-
{{Album chart|BillboardHeatseekers|4|artist=Protomartyr|rowheader=yes}}
|-
{{Album chart|BillboardIndependent|22|artist=Protomartyr|rowheader=yes}}
|-
{{Album chart|BillboardVinyl|9|artist=Protomartyr|rowheader=yes}}
|-
|}


==References==
==References==
Line 215: Line 270:


{{Protomartyr (band)}}
{{Protomartyr (band)}}

{{Authority control}}


[[Category:2017 albums]]
[[Category:2017 albums]]

Latest revision as of 22:25, 3 December 2024

Relatives in Descent
Studio album by
Protomartyr
Released29 September 2017 (2017-09-29)
Studio64 Sound (Los Angeles)
Genre
Length43:35
LabelDomino
ProducerProtomartyr and Sonny DiPerri
Protomartyr chronology
The Agent Intellect
(2015) 		Relatives in Descent
(2017) 		Consolation
(2018)
Singles from Relatives in Descent
  1. "A Private Understanding"
    Released: July 10, 2017 (2017-07-10)
  2. "My Children"
    Released: August 15, 2017 (2017-08-15)
  3. "Don't Go to Anacita"
    Released: October 27, 2017 (2017-10-27)

Relatives in Descent is the fourth studio album by American post-punk band Protomartyr released on 29 September 2017. Their first to be released through Domino Recording Company, the album is much darker and more philosophical than its predecessors. While lyrically not a concept album,[1] it is produced so that many songs flow from one to another seamlessly. Relatives in Descent received critical acclaim upon release, with many publications ranking it one of the best albums of the year.

Recording

[edit]

The band hired Sonny DiPerri to co-produce this album (known for his work with Animal Collective). In an interview, lead singer Joe Casey said that "we knew we wanted to go someplace different to record than the previous two records, so we wouldn't get in a rut [...] what was so great about Sonny was that he was very locked in to what we wanted."[2] He said that the band "wanted to record somewhere warm and we went to California. Usually, we are recording in Michigan and it is characteristically cold."[2] According to Casey, the change in recording location also helped them write more complicated songs than before.[2]

Guitarist Greg Ahee "was kind of enthralled with a certain kind of violin sound we heard [...] on a Raincoats record called Odyshape and then he wanted violin on the record. At first we heard it, and we all just thought, 'Ah shit, I don't know if that's going to work or not.'"[2] He was also influenced by Mica Levi's score to Under the Skin.[3] Asked on the source of the album's direction, Casey said: "For this record, we had just come off the road after doing a lot of touring. There were a lot of aches and pains so there was a lot of references to guts and generally feeling unwell. After the tour, my house also flooded. Before then, it had this smell of smoke and dust. Now I've got this mildew smell on top of that and the combination of these sensations and smell kind of infected the record."[2]

Content

[edit]

Style

[edit]

According to John Pareles:[1]

[O]n its fourth album, the band is moving toward an idiom that's more flexible and contrasty yet just as gripping: Protomartyr's own post-post-punk. Its expanded vocabulary includes relentless Minimalist repetition, melodic (though still jagged) guitar leads, precise gradations of clarity and distortion, violin parts that subtly link tracks together and song structures that keep taking left turns.

Greg Kot describes the instrumentation as thus:[4]

Greg Ahee's guitar ambushes the arrangements. It lunges out of the silence in "A Private Understanding" and "Windsor Hum." Bassist Scott Davidson knows when to push the melody and when to anchor the chaos with a steady pulse. Drummer Alex Leonard complements Casey's delivery rather than overwhelming it, his touch unerring yet spacious.

Themes

[edit]

According to NPR, the album is "a collection of lyrically dense, deeply philosophical [...] songs that grapple with some of life's thorniest questions: What does it mean to be human? What is truth? What is the nature of good and evil?".[5] Casey refuses to classify the album as "an anti-Trump album [...] I don't think this album is any more political than our previous records, but people are picking up on it more because it's a constant bombardment"[6] despite being "half informed by America, post-election".[7] "A Private Understanding", which is "almost a worldwide proclamation about the dire state of things (with apocalyptic trumpets even)", references Elvis Presley's vision of Jesus in a desert and the Flint water crisis.[7] "Here is The Thing" is a "repeat of the same feeling but with a more personal, local take", the titular "Thing" being "unfettered capitalism at the expense of humanity."[5] The song "My Children" deals with "legacy and what we leave behind: offspring, stone monuments, genetics [...]" and includes a reference to David Bowie.[5] "Windsor Hum" references a real phenomenon in its title, "a very low frequency hum [...] described as a massive refrigerator running. It's constant, so if you do hear it, you can't get it out of your head and it can drive you crazy" that one can hear emanating from Windsor "across the river".[7] "Caitriona" references the main character of Cré na Cille by Máirtín Ó Cadhain and describes "an afterlife of comically complaining in your coffin about everything, including your stupid son, for all eternity."[5] "The Chuckler" "is about trying to get through the day-to-day grind of living with all its loneliness and frustrations while the shadow of global meltdown darkens your door. I would describe the chuckle of the main character as being very, very hollow."[5] The imaginary titular city in "Don't Go To Anacita" is a pseudo-homophonic pun for "any city"[8] that has been described "as an affluent suburb that looks quaint and respectable but maybe has too many cops for the population size."[5] "Up The Tower", a "fantasy folk song about a craven, money-hungry troll that lived at the top of a golden tower and the heroic townspeople that would eventually dethrone him", was influenced by Charley Pride's cover of "Crystal Chandelier" and contains a reference to The English Mail-Coach by Thomas De Quincey.[5] The song "Male Plague" deals with "weird toxic male attitude" he had witnessed from his experience in the "music iundustry [sic]".[7] "Corpses In Regalia" incorporates dream imagery and is influenced by Our Lady of Darkness by Fritz Leiber.[5] The closing track "Half Sister" is a "swaggering, misanthropic song in which Casey tells three (fictional) tales from different points in history all regarding the idea of 'truth'",[9] ending with the refrain "She's just trying to reach you" which also ends the opening track "A Private Understanding", hence bringing the album "full circle" with the sense that "hope isn't quite dead, but it's also no closer than when we started."[10]

Artwork

[edit]

The album cover depicts Maude Fealy.[11]

Release

[edit]

The album was released on the 29th of September 2017 through Domino Recording Company.[12] The tracks "A Private Understanding", "My Children" and "Don't Go To Anacita" were released as singles on July 10, August 15 and October 27th respectively. The videos for "A Private Understanding" (directed by Tony Wolski and Trevor Naud) and "Don't Go To Anacita" (directed by Yoonha Park) were uploaded through the band's official YouTube channel on the aforementioned dates of their release.[13][14][15]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.2/10[16]
Metacritic85/100[17]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[18]
The A.V. ClubB+[19]
Chicago Tribune[4]
Financial Times[20]
The Guardian[21]
NME[22]
Pitchfork6.9/10[23]
Q[24]
Record Collector[25]
Uncut8/10[26]

Critical

[edit]

The album, like its predecessors, received critical acclaim from several sources.[27] According to Metacritic, the album has a "metascore" of 85 based on 25 reviews.[17] It also has a score of 8.2 based on 21 reviews on the site AnyDecentMusic?.[16]

In a perfect score review for The Guardian, Ben Beaumont-Thomas called the album "sensational" and praised Casey's "soapbox poetry" lyrics, noting that it "never becomes leaden or pedantic" despite tackling serious issues.[21] "While his band has grown into a post-punk monster," wrote Ben Salmon for Paste, "Casey, too, has moved beyond his personal frets and frustrations and developed into a lyricist capable of clear and compelling commentary. He's a voice worth listening to."[28] In another perfect score review, Danny Carter of Loud and Quiet noted that the cryptic nature of the Joycean lyrics "[help] the album steer clear of being a tacky "fake news" concept piece." The review also praised the "expertly played" music, and the publication would later go on to rank it the best album of the year.[29][30] Adam-Turner Heffer of Drowned in Sound called it "fairly incredible", and praised "A Private Understanding" as the best song of the year.[9] NME's Thomas Smith called Casey an "elite wordsmith", and wrote - in reference to the song - that the band "have proved that they can be that cereus, blooming in the dark times we inhabit – and continue blossoming into a formidable and vital band."[22]

Tiny Mix Tapes's Sean Hannah, on the other hand, noted that "Casey is at his lyrical best when tackling philosophical questions obliquely rather than head on". Despite this, they praised "Protomartyr's commitment to crafting challenging, academic songs reflective of their harried social and political climate."[31] In a similarly mixed review, Paul Thomson of Pitchfork - while praising the band's ambition - took issue with some of the "scattershot" song structures and the cryptic nature of the lyrics in comparison with the band's past releases: "[B]y inching away from the Detroit-centered world-building of previous Protomartyr records, Casey's sacrificed a certain amount of the thematic consistency that's helped past records hold their center; these songs here, for better and worse, splay out all over the map."[23]

Accolades

[edit]
Publication Accolade Year Rank Ref.
NME NME's Albums of the Year 2017
2017
#42
[32]
Esquire (Ben Ratliff) 20 Best Albums of 2017
2017
-
[33]
Loud and Quiet Top 40 Albums of 2017
2017
#1
[30]
OOR 10 Best Albums of 2017
2017
#8
[34]
State 50 Best Albums of 2017
2017
#3
[35]
The Guardian Best Albums of 2017
2017
#24
[36]
Sound Opinions (Greg Kot) 10 Best Albums of 2017
2017
#6
[37]
Newsweek 17 Best Albums of 2017
2017
#11
[38]
Rolling Stone (Rob Sheffield) 20 Best Albums of 2017
2017
#7
[39]
The Skinny The Skinny's Top 50 Albums of 2017
2017
#10
[40]
OndaRock Our 2017 Favorites
2017
#2
[41]

The album would go on to receive other accolades as well:

Publication Accolade Year Rank Ref.
Paste The 40 Best Punk Albums of the 2010s
2019
#19
[42]
Magic 150 Records That Made The 2010s
2019
-
[43]
Soundblab The Best Post-Punk Albums Of The 21st Century
2019
#12
[44]
Getintothis Getintothis' best 100 albums of the decade
2019
#99
[45]

Usage in media

[edit]

"My Children" has been used in the seventh episode of The Rain's first season.[46] "Half Sister" was featured in the seventh episode of The OA's second season.[47]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleLength
1."A Private Understanding"5:18
2."Here Is the Thing"2:50
3."My Children"3:42
4."Caitriona"1:44
5."The Chuckler"3:43
6."Windsor Hum"4:40
7."Don't Go to Anacita"3:12
8."Up the Tower"3:38
9."Night-Blooming Cereus"3:25
10."Male Plague"3:22
11."Corpses in Regalia"2:43
12."Half Sister"5:04
Total length:43:35

Personnel

[edit]
Protomartyr
  • Joe Casey – vocals
  • Greg Ahee – guitars, piano, synth
  • Scott Davidson – bass
  • Alex Leonard – drums
Additional personnel
  • Olivier Demeaux - synth on tracks 1, 3, 4, 8, 9
  • Tyler Karmen - violin on tracks 1, 2, 5, 11

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Relatives in Descent
Chart Position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[48] 144
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[49] 4
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[50] 22
US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)[51] 9

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Pareles, Jon (September 27, 2017). "Protomartyr Turns Dread Into Post-Post-Punk on 'Relatives in Descent'" – via NYTimes.com.
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