SECULAR WORKS

3.5 stars. EXTRA LIFE are an avant/math rock band out of Brooklyn, NY led by Charlie Looker who is fairly active in the avant scene there. He played in a band called ZS, but after their second release "Arms" in 2007 Charlie left that band to form EXTRA LIFE. The man had a vision of combining the difficult avant/math leanings of ZS with the gothic music of the middle ages. So we get the music that was used for masses back then but this isn't religious music, it's secular music, hence the album's title "Secular Works".

I thought I had a pretty good shot at really liking this record because I do like gothic music somewhat. And that was actually born out by the two tracks that I love on here. If it was all like the opener "Blackmail Blues" and track five "This Time" I'd be a happy boy right now. In fact when I heard the opener for the first time was I excited. Dark and heavy with crushing bass and some violin on this 9 minute piece. "This Time" is 10 minutes long and not moving very fast for the first 7 1/2 minutes but when it kicks in I'm moved. Two incredible tracks!

There's one important piece of information to do with the vocals of Charlie Looker. He sounds so much like Morrissey you wouldn't believe it. But more gothic I suppose, but whiney for sure. A good example of them is on the short closer where the focus is on the vocals throughout, and it's my least favourite song on here. A 50 minute album over seven tracks, this is without question not for everybody.

In 2022 Charlie released "Secular Works, Vol 2" with Toby Driver joining the band as their bass player. They also released an album in 2024, and Toby is still the bass player. Also on that latest record they have the KAYO DOT and TIME OF ORCHID's drummer David Bodie, plus Timba Harris formerly from ESTRADASPHERE and now SECRET CHIEFS 3 and KAYO DOT. That might be an interesting listen that 2024 release. KAYO DOT and TIME OF ORCHIDS are Brooklyn bands these days, so lot of connections.