New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Throne of Ivory, a collection of singles and b-sides, represents a young American songwriter growing into his full potential. Matt Berry has put his bid in as a leading voice of a new generation of avant-pop music. His lyrics and imagery on Throne of Ivory pronounce poetic quality. Ahead of its release tomorrow, he has shared new video and single "Palace of Fools" which tackles themes of delusion and self-awareness, collaging images of different characters caught up in misguided yet comforting fantasies.
The video, directed by Gary Canino debuted via FLOOD who call it a "soap-operatic domestic drama full of deceit, car washes, and fatal heart conditions." Canino explains, "The video was a sort of reimagining of 'The Gift of the Magi'. It features a doomed couple who go to a car wash to cleanse their souls, but emerge from the other side even dirtier than before. Robert Forster's eternal character Max Cherry was also an influence."
Matt Berry, the multi-instrumentalist behind The Berries, has previously released two LP's on Run for Cover: Start All Over Again (2018), a sparkling case of
Neil Young worship, and Berryland (2019), an ennui ridden nod to the sounds of
Primal Scream and Americana. On Throne of Ivory, however, Berry no longer stands on the shoulders of songwriting giants. Each song bursts with character, layering frigid piano lines and bubbling synths over Berry's signature guitar heroics. Eyebrow raising experimentalism meets incredible pop sensibility, imbuing the whole record with the captivating energy of a new voice firing on all cylinders.
The first side of Throne of Ivory showcases a set of singles written and recorded during the summer of 2020, while the second features reworked versions of tracks that were originally written for Berryland and his upcoming third LP. While all of the songs on Throne of Ivory were recorded from the comfort of Berry's home, he smartly avoids the intentionally amateur sentimentalism usually associated with "bedroom pop." Instead, Berry exploits the advantages of home recording, outfitting his songs with massive synthetic drums and complex vocal harmonies.
Throne of Ivory (Singles & B-Sides) is out tomorrow on Run For Cover and is a sonic preview of what lies ahead for The Berries.
