Cheer-Accident – “Immanence” (audio) (premiere)

Cuneiform Records is known for housing some of the most enjoyable experimental acts around, and Chicago rock/avant-progressive quartet Cheer-Accident is no exception. Formed over 30 years ago by drummer Thymme Jones (and completed by Jeff Libersher, Amelie Morgan, Dante Kester, and a “revolving cast of collaborators”), the group never fails to deliver peculiar yet gripping sequences bursting with vibrant instrumentation and inventive movements. As its title suggests, the band’s upcoming eighteenth LP, Putting Off Death, finds them keen to prove precisely how poised and, well, progressive they remain following a six-year hiatus since 2011’s No Ifs, Ands or Dogs. Luckily, the band’s newest single from the LP, “Immanence”, does a fantastic job of showcasing that.

Putting Off Death got its title from the lyrics of “Immanence” (written by longtime collaborator Scott Rutledge), and the track features vocalist Carmen Armillas, whose nonchalant delivery and occasional interlocking harmonies complement the similarly Gentle Giant-like hodgepodge of carnivalesque music. Led by an infectious and rhythmically off-kilter piano motif, the piece gradually grows to include trumpets and eccentric percussion, yielding an incredible whirlwind of juxtaposed elements that are at once chaotic and alluring. Perhaps its greatest strength, however, is how seamlessly it abandons that madness three-fourths in, allowing the remaining minute to provide a more straightforward and gentle ballad, complete with backing vocals from Libersher (who also painted the cover art).

If Putting Off Death is meant to be about “question[s] awaiting…answer[s]. It requires an audience with which to interface. Others’ ears and minds are required to complete the story” (as Jones explains), then “Immanence” is a perfectly mysterious and profound inquiry. Its overwhelming intricacy is counterbalanced by a jovial sense of playfulness and catchiness, and it serves as a strong appetizer until the full sequence releases on May 12th. Check it out below, and be sure to preorder Putting Off Death ASAP.