Jeff is in his element here, his vocal cracking with emotion as the band weave their magic around him, and the sparkling solo that emerges at the conclusion has a similar impact to the stately lead work of David Gilmour. Drawn into its core, the listener has no option but to lose themselves in the sumptuous production and let the blues wash over them in waves. Epic in scope, Divine Intervention is undoubtedly an album highlight, with its serpentine slide work and lysergic beat. However, these two pieces, as good as they are, only set the scene for what follows. A twisted blues pitched closer to Depeche Mode’s electronically-augmented take on the form than Muddy Waters, it’s driven by Benjamin Anderson’s deft use of keyboards and Will Andrews’ subtly innovative percussion. What Did You Expect is no less unconventional. The atmospheric noise and shuffling beat of The Value Of Zero is not necessarily an obvious choice for opening number, but the sense of menace it exudes is tangible, Jeff and his cohorts exhibiting a hitherto unnoticed alt/prog edge reminiscent of A Perfect Circle. Right from the start, The Light Below has the listener hooked. However, far from slow the band down, the shift in personnel seems to have revitalised Jeff, and The Light Below is an album that sits comfortably between the twisted gospel blues of Screaming Trees, the confessional nightmares of Afghan Whigs and the dark electronica of latter-day Depeche Mode. Relatively quick off the mark with their debut album (released in 2013), the band, which featured both Barrett Martin (ex-Screaming Trees) and Duff McKagan (G’n’R), took five long years to release 2018’s WP2, with Barrett and Duff departing in its wake due to commitments elsewhere. Formed in 2012, Walking Papers is a Seattle-based band centred around Jeff Angell (The Missionary Position).
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