Colin Stetson released his sophomore album and the first in a trilogy of albums, “New History Warfare Vol. 1,” in 2008. Though often outshone by its successors, the work is still worth a visit due to its unrelenting eeriness and Stetson’s trademark unique saxophone playing.
While most of Stetson’s solo catalog follows an overarching story, it has yet to have been printed in full, with hints at its ideas being delivered only via the music itself and interviews. This album, likely the start of the story, can only be described as feeling as though the listener is trapped on an abandoned warship left out at sea and is slowly going insane, accentuated by the occasional spoken word sounding as though it is coming from an old wartime radio.
Though not as well-polished as his works after it, this album does an amazing job at building a sort of narrative and tone, however abstract it may be, within the listener’s mind. It invokes terror, uncertainty and even at times beauty, with the final track, “Our Heartbreak Perfect,” being a perfect example.
The 11-minute piece lulls the listener in with spoken words and soft saxophone playing before the saxophone becomes increasingly louder and more aggressive and slowly drifts away. After some silence, Stetson abruptly returns with a drummer—a rare sound in his discography—frightening listeners and ending the album with one of his rowdier performances, perfectly capping off what remains one of Stetson’s most bizarre and intriguing works to date.
Rating: 7.5/10