The Weather Station - Humanhood (Album Review)

 

Review Transcript:

This is my first time covering The Weather Station, a Canadian folk outfit fronted by actor and musician Tamara Lindeman, with my only prior experience with the group coming from this album’s lead single ‘Neon Signs’. What immediately struck me about that song was its poignant marriage of sharp social criticism and heart-wrenching relationship drama, drawing a surprising parallel between consumerism and an abusive partner. It was an intriguing premise set to a wonderfully lush arrangement, with the song’s thumping drums grounding its more ethereal folk elements, and a surprisingly well-placed flute solo which expands the song’s already dynamic instrumental. This all convinced me to give the full album a listen, so how did Humanhood shape up?

Well, it’s an album which takes that combination of the social and personal found on ‘Neon Signs’ and runs with it, exploring themes of isolation and loneliness both in the toxic relationship which Tamara finds herself in and the broader experience of isolation in modern capitalist society. Tamara finds herself having to rely on the “honesty of lust” as she is overwhelmed by the expectations of her partner and the of society to perform a certain way, feeling increasingly disillusioned by the dishonesty of those around her and their questionable insistence that they need her. There’s an understated strain to Tamara’s delivery of these critical lyrics, and whilst her vocals are not the most immediate or powerful her performances are intentional and intimate across her vocal register.

The titular ‘Humanhood’ best demonstrates this range, where Tamara’s vocals weave throughout the mix as she boasts her most assertive crooning next to her breathier whispers and moments that border on spoken-word. The track dissects what it means to be a human living under the weight of those same capitalist expectations as they manifest in her relationships and perceptions of how we see ourselves and how we should act. She highlights the difficulty of having a moment to just exist when every action we take is judged, most acutely by ourselves, where even the most private and inane actions like brushing your hair can become self-conscious and performative because of those expectations.

The breathy ‘Body Moves’ sees Tamara further exploring the insecurities of the flesh, where the subject of the song experiences a disconnect between themself and their body. Whether Tamara is singing about a friend or a lover, she describes the consequences of their dishonesty as their attempts at love and kindness become self-destructive, their body rejecting the way they have been living. There is a delicate vagueness to the lyrics which lends it to different interpretations, but it remains a powerful highlight on a consistently compelling album.

The instrumentals have a lot to offer as well, from the trembling saxophone on the title track to the stuttering, glitchy production that accentuates the jazzy arrangements on ‘Mirror’, another highlight for me. The urgent pianos and frantic percussion of ‘Window’ convey Tamara’s excitement at reclaiming her independence as she finally leaves her toxic partner, whilst the sparser arrangement on the album’s closing track ‘Sewing’ highlights that song’s theme of acceptance as the lyrics see Tamara patching up her life amongst the emotional and political turmoil she has experienced. Whilst similar albums often rely too heavily on the ambience of their instrumentals at the expense of any depth to the writing, or do the opposite and strip back the arrangements to just piano and vocals in order to highlight more provocative lyrics, Humanhood succeeds precisely of how its components compliment one another. Even the album’s instrumental interludes help in tying the album together, a common gripe of mine which Humanhood mostly surmounts. Only the introductory ‘Descent’ feels redundant, delaying where other interludes build or bridge.

All in all though, this album seriously impressed me with its lush, jazzy arrangements and committed exploration of its relevant yet personal themes. I have loved spending time soaking myself into the rich darkness of this album over the past month. It’s a strong 8 out of 10 from me, a fantastic introduction to a group I was previously unfamiliar with, and one that I would highly recommend to any fans of folk, jazz-pop or any of the themes that I’ve spoken about across this review.

This has been Metropologan and I’ll catch you at the next stop…

Favourite Songs: ‘Neon Signs’, ‘Mirror’, ‘Body Moves’, ‘Humanhood’, ‘Lonely’

Least Favourite: ‘Descent’

Score: 8/10

The Weather Station - Humanhood - 17 Jan 2025 - Fat Possum