BAND OF THE WEEK: CORNERS

Every now and again – if you’re lucky, if you’re open to it – an album may drop into your life and strike you not merely as enjoyable, but as obsession-worthy. “Maxed Out on Distractions” – the soon-to-be released new album from Corners – is not merely enjoyable; it’s obsession-worthy.

Or so it would seem. It’s been just four days since “Maxed Out on Distractions” dropped into our life – not much time for a full-scale obsession. Yet not much time is needed to tune in to the warped-wavelengths provided by Corners (in fact, the simple, solid, stand-alone ten-note bass line that opens the album may be all you need – it certainly was for us).

And if you’ve ever found yourself drained by frustration, overwhelmed with boredom, or filled with neurotic cravings, Corners warped-wavelengths may sound something like a warm welcome home. Yes, you may already be “Maxed Out on Distractions” – who isn’t?

Describing Corners’ sound is no easy task. Void of the mythical, “Let the Sun Shine In”-vibe carried so carefully by their Californian comrades, Corners trade in the dark stuff that bubbles under the skin and through the brain, their bass, drums, guitar and synths – mighty, monolithic synths – somehow crushing that confusion into compact song-gems of unlimited power and instant memorability.

There’s much more than merely a scent of goth-gloom throughout the proceedings, just the faintest echo of the surf guitar born of their West Coast birthplace, and enough “BIPPP” to make you flip. “Maxed Out on Distractions” is the rare, remarkable record that is able to take lyrical lacerations like “Held up in and booted from the house built within polarizing glares / big X’s in the sky for fear” and turn them into songs that fill our strained head endlessly (or at the very least, for four obsessive days). It’s the farthest thing from a “feel-good” record, and it feels great.

“Maxed Out on Distractions” may be a flawless record. It’s impossible to say for certain – but it sure sound that way.

“Maxed Out On Distraction” is available for pre-order from Lolipop Records.

“How unsatisfactory desire can feel can be gauged by considering our more obviously neurotic cravings, those emerging out of a dull feeling of frustration, boredom, and emptiness. We look for something pleasurable in order to fill that void and relieve the boredom, at least partially and temporarily. You eat a chocolate or drink a cup of tea or put on a piece of music not so much for the positive enjoyment of such things but more because you don’t know what else to do. It is these kinds of craving that should concern us most, more than those that arise out of a strong, healthy appetite. And the way to deal with them is to regard the boredom itself as a positive opportunity. It is like having to deal with fear, anger, or indeed craving, or any other negative mental state. It is an opportunity to experience the energy that is usually drained away by distractions. When you are really bored, the best thing you can do is sit down and let yourself experience the boredom more fully. It may not be a deep or satisfying state, but at least you are not indulging in the things with which you usually cover up this kind of experience. Your real state of mind is more nakedly exposed, because for the time being there are no distractions. If you can stay with the experience of boredom, you can try to feel your way through into something deeper, truer, and more spontaneous within yourself.

This is likely to be more helpful than trying to force a more positive state into being or rushing to alleviate the boredom with a distraction. After a while you should find that the boredom passes. You will start to feel more positive simply by virtue of experiencing yourself more truly. And feeling more positive, you will probably want to get on with actually doing something positive. But if the minute you start feeling bored you turn on the radio or pick up the newspaper or ring somebody up, then you’ve lost the opportunity that the boredom has presented you.” – Sangharakshita, “Living Wisely: Further Advice from Nagarjuna’s Precious Garland”