A specific type of release I have a fascination with are ones that function as a full and thorough showcase of an artist's work over the years. Previously I saw this on Bob's Old Songs 1982-1993 which is a release I have had a long love for. However on the surface, this Eilir Pierce release doesn't seem like one of these, as you look at the back of the CD you see 10 songs listed, but upon putting it into your computer the truth is revealed, an additional 90 songs from several homemade recordings from various bands, solo projects and collaborations that Eilir Pierce took part in.
The music of Degawdawns takes many forms, it's pretty clear to the listener that Eilir Pierce had no interest in locking himself into a specific sound or aesthetic. The album starts with the bedroom Indie Rock of "Stop and Come with Me to the Pub" where Eilir's distinct off-kilter vocal style comes in for the first time, as is the case with many home recording lab rats, Pierce is not the most objectively talented vocalist but his tone and voice fits this style of music exceptionally well. But even with this more conventional start, we are given a taster of what the record is going to be capable of as we fly into the Dance Punk of "Carrot" which batters the listener.
But it doesn't stop there, we see the Indie Folk of "Caroline the Tart", "Ble Gysges Di?", "Laura" and others which is pulled off well, the instrumentals are usually simple but he manages to do well in this more sparse space and often (like with "Caroline the Tart") bring in new textures to keep it interesting. These songs stand in contrast to the more intense songs like the Industrial dance track "Fish", the distortion of "Get off My Head" and especially the frantic eclectic Punk of "Hot Cross Buns" which Pierce describes as an attempt at the stylings of Melt-Banana.
There are also more experimental cuts. The sinister string-based soundscape created on "Llaeth" creates a more uncomfortable atmosphere and Pierce's whimpered vocals sell it. "Angor" is this bizarre bit of sound design. "Fun" has some hypnotic-sounding drums over this building instrumentals. "Keep In Touch" is a mixed-up ambient track based around a sample of a phone call. One of the most interesting is "Loping but Grinning" which was remixed and mangled in a really interesting way. Probably the most personally disturbing was "No One Could Understand Why She Could Not Move" which is a whispered spoken word story over a bass-driven instrumental.
We also have plenty of total sonic diversions. "Laundry" is a Funk Rock-focused cut with a Pop core about opening up with more charm than you'd think. "Life Too Early" is almost a Lullaby with Pierce whispering over a quiet instrumental and "Lullaby" is a Lullaby! "Man on a Beard" has a prominent saxophone for the first time on the record. "One Two Song" has some deliberately sloppy instrumentation as the song develops. "She Paid Me Five Shillings" swings into a pretty solid Country pastiche. "Thank You for the Trees" is a cute Childrens Music number that is not played straight in the slightest. All across the album we see Pierce playing with different textures and it pretty much always works.
It's hard to pick out highlights on a record this long and storied but there are a high number of songs here I would say are perfect. "Manmade" is definitely one of those, this thick and dense distorted soundscape is held up by some vocal and beatboxed segments, and delivers an amazing hook. "ELEO" is an excellent synth cut with a great driving groove and some fun growing textures. "I Met Jesus and He Was Crying" is a great Minimal Wave track with some great melodies. "If You Wanna Be With Me in the Summer" is a great Indie Rock track that shows off Pierce's influences. "Little Blue Stars" is an uncomfortably intimate track that works. "Little Manger" has an exceptional ending as it sprawls out. "Seedless" is a strange song with plenty of fun ideas. "Sycamore Tree" is a cute little Pop track. And "The Weather" is an excellent 2000s-style Indie song with some amazing synths among plenty of other highlights.
All through the record, we see Pierce's excellent ear for hooks, practically every few minutes you are presented with a hook that burrows its way into your head, and by the end of the record your brain is filled with these assaulting you at once, goading you into considering putting the whole thing on again.
An area of this release I found especially compelling is that after the first 10 songs, every single song has a bio custom written in, not only presenting why Eilir made these songs but presenting a full image of where he was in life. You see information about his friends, his hobbies, places he liked to hang out, and his insecurities, his personality exposes itself and this collection not only gives you a full view of the man's songwriting but also his whole person, which is something you rarely see in music.
Is it perfect? Absolutely not. There are songs here like "Irish Song", "Mawr" or "Cheating Heart" which I think are pretty bad and despite being otherwise great "Plastic Man" has some really unpleasant synths, but like the weaker tracks on The Beatles White Album they strangely serve to make the whole more interesting, showing every facet of the musician, not just their best moments. It is one of many things that helps to give this album such a unique charm.
The albums a number of these songs were initially available on are not accessible, made in what I assume are short runs and only given to people Pierce knew personally, but Degawdawns is, and I am so thankful. It isn't perfect by any means, it's loose, occasionally ugly, and often a bit full of itself and that makes it all the more fascinating. Packed within this 100-song gauntlet are some of the most entertaining and endearing songs I have ever heard and even if it has its weak moments they are outnumbered by the amount of brilliance on display.
