The title and cover image of Jamie Lee, Money's singer and song writer, with a kitchen knife stuck in his head convey the unambiguous message that death and despair will be the album's recurring themes.
This duly proves to be the case via intense, tortured and wordy songs such as You Look Like A Sad Painting On Both Sides Of The Sky and Cocaine Christmas And An Alcoholic's New Year.
Despite this, Lee is keen to point out "we don’t want it to come across just in a negative way. We don’t want to glorify mental illness either." However, this doesn't stop him singing about hitting a series of dead ends while trying to make sense of life.
With frequent references to getting stoned, going mad and living rough, the tunes are more about the blackness of the tunnel than the light at the other end.
In Hopeless World, Lee states his point of view in no uncertain terms: "I'm going to say how I feel because I'm tired of things that aren't real in a hopeless world".
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In keeping with this despondent mood, euphoric rock dynamics are kept in check. There are strings and brass, gospel-style backing vocals, and the (Indian stringed) dilruba on the opening I Am The Lord has shades of The Beatles' 'Within You Without You'.
The British trio formed in Manchester but this album was recorded in South London with producer Charlie Andrew. It is the follow up to their debut release The Shadow Of Heaven (2013) and evidently went through a difficult birth. Lee confesses that there were internal disputes about the music's direction.
The relief over getting it completed is almost palpable and hopefully cathartic.
If nothing else, it serves to refute the lie that 'suicide is painless'.
Money's website
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