Caught in Mischief Unplanned by The Stilted Lodger (Review)
Once upon a time, a band called Writ on Water had the (mis)fortune of releasing the last album on Michael Knott’s groundbreaking Blonde Vinyl label before it went bankrupt. To this day, though, 1992’s Sylph remains one of the most unique releases to emerge from the ’90s indie/alternative Christian scene. With its blend of post-punk, college rock, and 4AD-esque ambient interludes, Sylph still sounds unlike anything else to emerge from that era.
It seemed like the classic story of a promising band fading away into obscurity before their time, but throughout the ’00s, Writ on Water occasionally re-emerged from the shadows with a new release, like 2000’s Pelléas EP and 2008’s A Wingless King. The band’s most recent release was 2017’s A Charcoal Night EP, after which their silence resumed once again. Which brings us to The Stilted Lodger, a new solo project from Writ on Water frontman Jeff Mackey that emerged from the shadows just as suddenly and surprisingly as any Writ on Water release. (For completeness’ sake, Mackey has also released droney ambient music under the Either/Orwell moniker.)
As with Writ on Water, Mackey knows a thing or two about creating beautifully atmospheric dream pop and post-punk (e.g., the glittering notes on “Isolatia,” the shimmering textures on “Embracing Lost Causes,” “Shared History”’s Disintegration-esque melodies, the stately progression of “Another Early Friday”). Elsewhere, Mackey moves into more urgent territory that strangely reminds me of Music for Gilded Chambers-era Controlled Bleeding. Just close your eyes and tell me that Mackey doesn’t achieve an expressiveness similar to Joe Papa’s on “Leaf Fallen Heart” (though I doubt Controlled Bleeding ever released anything quite so song-oriented).
In any case, Caught in Mischief Unplanned is a daunting album that’s very singular in both tone and mood. It’s not something to just put on and let sink into the background, and with seventeen tracks clocking in at nearly eighty minutes, there’s a lot to hear and absorb — perhaps too much, even.
Caught in Mischief Unplanned has no bad songs per se, but one gets the distinct sense that The Stilted Lodger’s debut was a way for Mackey to finally release songs that have been gathering dust in the years since A Charcoal Night, if not before. As a result, the album can feel a bit overstuffed and drag at times. I fear that may deter some listeners, which would be a shame because some of its best moments (e.g., “Proceeding in Reverse,” “A Watermill Study,” “Leaf Fallen Heart,” “Chimney Tops”) are found in its second half.
But as is the case with Luxury, Starflyer 59, and Fine China — all “Chrindie” bands from the ’90s who have or will likely release new music at some point in 2024 — I’m ultimately glad that Mackey is still writing and releasing music. Fans of Writ on Water will definitely want to check out The Stilted Lodger, as will fans of emotional and artistically atmospheric music in general.