Rocktrospectiva: The Acclaimed "The Waiting Room" Turns 10

Released on 22 January 2016, "The Waiting Room" was the 11th., studio album by the English band Tindersticks. Some editions of the album came packaged with a short film that had been commissioned for each song by various directors. The album spawned "Were We Once Lovers?", "How He Entered" & "We Are Dreamers!" and captures it effortlessly with soulful, jazzy rhythms cast adrift through delicate production. All of this is complemented by the wavy, yet not ambivalent, vocals of Stuart Staples.

The album opened with "Follow Me" which was the final song recorded for the album. When the band needed a piece of music to act as an introduction, Stuart Staples and musical arranger Julian Siegel used the melody from Bronisław Kaper's soundtrack to the 1962 film Mutiny on the Bounty, which Staples had found himself humming as he walked down the street. Next "Second Chance Man," was wonderfully used to elevate that ambient hum in a vein similar to that of Thom Yorke. The real treat of this vocal compression, though, is how well it compliments the instruments. The majority of the album is driven my an ambiguous existential dread that occasionally snaps into sharp and heartbreaking focus, such as when Stuart Staples sings “how can I care when it’s the caring that’s killing me” on Were We Once Lovers?. One thing you can noticed here was that it's almost as if the lead singer of the band is both the bass and the horn section. This is epitomized with “Help Yourself”

Hey Lucinda sees de Sela and Staples sing about the melancholy of ageing in words that wouldn’t sound out of place in a song by The National – “I only dance to remember how dancing used to feel” – over an uncharacteristically lavish arrangement that spans from flute to steel drums. Staples’ voice was really the main weapon of the album. He has aged into a tender and vulnerable baritone that recalls Antony Hegarty. It can feel like it’s about to break into a scream at any moment, although he never does. The deep richness of his voice really helped to sell sections like the chorus of "Were We Once Lovers?" the stark title track, which would be a capella were it not for the faint organ chords playing gently in the back of the mix. The latter track was truly haunting, and it’s was almost necessary that it’s chased by Planting Holes, a pleasantly reflective instrumental that prepares the listener for the dark power of what followed. We Are Dreamers is propelled by a booming bass part played by a brass instrument, and restrained drumming that builds in intensity throughout. 

The pacing of the album was generally impeccable, as every overtly dreary moment is followed by a more relaxed or open one. The Waiting Room ached with feeling conveyed perfectly, be that through the evocative but simple lyrics, or the perfectly chosen arrangements that leave enough space for the notes to ring out. It’s an album that feels raw and viscerally sad, and is a stunning achievement for a band that’s been around as long as Tindersticks. But amidst all the not-so-quiet quietness, was the instrumental  "Planting Holes" that stole the show. Rarely does an instrumental track stand out as this does. In its simple piano melody, the song evokes the most imagery and emotion, inspiring thoughts of a rainy night. It was the kind of song that can changed the temperature of your skin when you immerse yourself in it.

The real undoing came from “We Are Dreamers!,” which was the only track feeling somewhat uninspired. The blip, though, is not large enough to throw Tindersticks off balance. They recover gently on the record’s final act with "Like Only Lovers Can." The expertise here couldn’t be hidden if they tried. And while it’s clear this sort of fare is an acquired taste, there is something deep and brooding in The Waiting Room that is memorable enough to beg further discovery.

The album received an universal acclaim, called by many critics a rich, warm, and comfortable album marbled with veins of darkness and light 

 

The Waiting Room Track List: 

 

1. Follow Me

2. Second Chance Man

3. Were We Once Lovers?

4. Help Yourself

5. Hey Lucinda

6. This Fear Of Emptiness

7. How He Entered

8. The Waiting Room

9. Plating Holes

10. We Are Dreamers!

11. Like Only Lovers Can