Fall of Man

Emil Amos, the mastermind behind Holy Sons, returns with his second Thrill Jockey release, Fall of Man. The multi-instrumentalist (who counts himself as a member of Om, Grails, and Lilacs & Champagne) carves out new territory on his most diverse release to date, adding more hooks and pop balladry to his songs while still retaining the intimacy and psychological depth of his earlier records. 1970s classic rock has always been a touchstone for Amos, and on Fall of Man he filters those influences through his modern looking-glass to create a deliberate, melancholy album of epic scope, a sonic universe tinged with a soft, slight sadness. The signature darkness and strangeness that Amos has cultivated throughout his career is present on the album, even in its title, which references the myth that humans are powerless and fundamentally flawed while also suggesting that we have reached the autumn of humanity, slowly sowing the seeds of our own destruction. Amos masterfully tucks away these pessimistic themes within some of the most beautifully produced, endlessly listenable songs of his career.