Rat Saw God. Wednesday

Wednesday is one of the strangest band names I know. Rat Saw God nonetheless is an album that on the one hand underscores the band's name and on the other simply does not stop amazing. Let's start with the comment that album and band are very present at times and far beyond comfortable.

Wednesday's first appearance on this blog was with a review of 'Twin Plagues' by Erwin Zijleman in 2021. In the review he pointed to the progress the band had made but also implicitly admitted, in hindsight, to have under-estimated the band's debut album, 'I Was Trying To Describe You To Someone'. I picked up 'Twin Plagues' up because of the review but have to admit not to have played the album recently.

This is very different with Rat Saw God. The album is spinning in high rotation the past weeks. But where to start? With a warning to sensitive ears? That is a good one, I suppose. Despite the fact that Rat Saw God is a varied album with a good many songs on it, I doubt that many unsuspecting people will get through the minutes of screaming in which 'Bull Believer' ends. I also doubt whether it's possible for singer Karly Hartzman to sing the song live everyday and come home with a voice in one piece. Dr. Janov's therapy may even deem the screams here too much of a good thing. No doubt Hartzman needed to get something of her chest and I can only hope for her that it worked.

The rest of the album is far more comfortable alternative rock. The singing is put through an effect giving Karly Hartzman's voice a gravely quality as if the microphone is sort of broken. It gives the whole album a gravelly tone. Musically the album manoeuvres itself somewhere between alternative rock, indie and folk/country. Don't be surprised when a pedal steel turns up, played by Xandy Chelmis, replacing the huge sound of guitarist Jake Lenderman. Wednesday moves close to a band like Big Thief here but just as easily moves towards big chords of powerpop from the late 70s, where the pedal steel moves through like a fish in water.

Promo photo: Zachary Chick

Rat Saw God surprises in this sense as it is far more varied than the first two songs promise. The band shows several sides to itself and gets away with every single one. The album also shows the progress Wednesday has made in the past years. No issues with moving forward and growing along the way for this band. This includes a nice observation like "a daughter of God has a little bad luck sometimes".

Wednesday does fit in what can slowly be called a movement. Female led alternative rockbands, not afraid of experimenting a little. Big Thief, The Beths, Courtney Barnett, Jen Cloher, Vera Ellen, many can be found on this blog and not for nothing. They are all good, draw the right kind of attention to themselves with great music and slowly but surely start leading the rock pack.  Wednesday is no exception in this list.

With Rat Saw God Wednesday makes a huge step towards more fame. Those with more sensitive ears, will just have to skip song #2, more precisely after circa five minutes, like they will skip Blur's, and enjoy all the rest offered on this album. There remains more than enough for that to happen.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Rat Saw God here:

https://wednesdayband.bandcamp.com/album/rat-saw-god