Had Therapy? split up in 1996 only to return with this album, you would definitely be reading a great deal more about it than you undoubtedly have. By not doing that, they have instead foregone larger commercial appeal in favour of a string of brilliant albums that you’ve probably never heard.
Put simply, Therapy? are a proper band and, obviously, Disquiet is another wonderful gem of a record, stocked with hook-filled, but darkly subversive rock songs that only Andy Cairns and co could write. And will doubtless be ignored in favour of the next kooky, run-of-the-mill scene darlings. No wonder they’re depressed!
Still Hurts opens proceedings in a fine fashion. Reminiscent of Troublegum’s opener Knives, it makes a mockery of the notion that Therapy? have nothing left to give.
Other highlights include pop-song-on-downers Fall Behind, the closing seven-minute post-rock of Deathstimate and the muscular grunge of Idiot Cousin, a song where Cairns seems to nod at the band’s commercial downturn when he sings ‘Trust us to fuck it all up/When we get near the top’ over Michael McKeegan’s lumbering, monolithic bassline.
How many other bands sound this good 14 albums into their career? Very, very few. Fuck nostalgia, Therapy? are as alive as they’ve always been./o:p
