Gentle Leader XIV – Joke in the Shadow – New LP

End days pop. Electronic extinction rock. No future for sure, surf’s up dude. Gentle Leader XIV (jen-tul lee-der ex-ivy) is a post-punk synth-pop band from the ends of Ohio. The Cincinnati/Cleveland trio is comprised of long-time scene vets Jeffrey Tucholski (Running), Matt Hallaran (Glass Traps), and Maria Jenkins (Hollows). The band originated in 2016 out of what would become the ashes of the Chicago music scene in the “Teens”. Their first album, Channels, was released on Moniker Records in 2018 to critical acclaim by one French outlet. Serving in a support capacity for acts such as Fuzz, Exploded View, Tropical F*ckstorm, The Serfs, Cloud Nothings, Ryley Walker, Timmy’s Organism and EXEK; Gentle Leader XIV is a chameleon, a band’s-band that may change color but never loses its shape. Joke in the Shadow sees the band shift from their Julee Cruise / Cocteau Twins inspired brand of ethereal dream pop towards a darker, bleaker, more industrial bend in the burning river of their collective consciousness. This record has the vibe of a lost Depeche Mode acetate found at an Ohio flea market, repackaged and resold to play as background for a yet to be made Lynchian remake of Terminator VIII.

Recorded in Louisville, KY, co-produced with Ryan Patterson (Fotocrime/Coliseum) at his studio, the House of Foto, Joke in the Shadow spans an array of sonic textures while sticking to a core, omnipresent tension between despair and possibility. Jenkins’ bellowing vocal is both sobering and captivating, careful not to crowd space while lyrically reflecting a deep poetic sophistication. Her key leads, accompanied by Hallaran’s low end and dynamic synth work create a mercurial melodic vibe present throughout the album. Tucholski’s searing guitar, at times percussive, at times beguiling, is delivered with care and a cutting killer instinct. Drums composed collectively set the backbone for minimal moody jams and up-tempo kraut and industrial bangers. In Joke in the Shadow, Gentle Leader XIV have made a damaged 21st century pop record that consistently brings the heat and the hooks. It’s full of grim reality with just a fleeting dash of hope draining through the hourglass.