Will Wiesenfeld has been moving toward a pop-oriented sound since his first two releases as Baths, Cerulean and Obsidian. His latest, Gut, is a fitting title. After eight years away, during which he focused on soundtrack work, Wiesenfeld is not pulling punches. The songs in this collection are frank and direct. He explores the joy and pain of casual sex and the pursuit of desires. As such, this record forgoes the chilliness of some of his early Baths records in favor of a more pop-oriented sound with live guitar, violin, cello, and drums on several tracks. It is a thrillingly alive collection of songs.
In press for Gut, Wiesenfeld says he was inspired by the abrasive rock of bands like Gilla Band, Protomartyr, and A-Frames, but the blunt force of the lyrics is of a piece with those bands, not the music. At times, Gut sounds closest to the unsparing, unjudging eye coupled with compelling electronics-and-guitar sounds of Xiu Xiu.
The ideas expressed in the songs that make up Gut are presented in explicit detail and are free of analysis. This is Wiesenfeld presenting the highs and lows of being an unattached gay man. To hold up one song as an example of the new wrinkles in Baths’ sound, “Sea of Men” is a pretty pop song with provocative, sexual lyrics supported by synths and strings. It is an early highlight.
“Peacocking” also brings guitars to the front, and at times, Wiesenfeld sounds a little like Sunny Day Real Estate‘s Jeremy Enigk. His vocals give the record a haunted quality as he longs for a new potential lover. The propulsive “Eden” is one of the prettiest moments, building to a hooky dance pop song before dissolving into uneasy strings. It is unsurprising that this is the breakout song since it’s release.
There is a toll to the search for this ecstasy-seeking, and that is part of Gut, too. “Chaos” is another exploration of the challenge of making something more permanent from a steady stream of partners. Wiesenfeld’s vulnerability is powerful and plainspoken in the quieter moments: “How does anybody do it? Get a love to grow, find a love to claim?” However, there’s a devil on the other shoulder who is enjoying the sexual freedom of commitment-free encounters, too. “American Mythos” is a propulsive electronic pop song of frustration with a partner anchored by its beat and the memorable line “Acting like fucking Americans” that isn’t a political takedown, but an expression of frustration with a partner.
“Governed” is of a piece with Wiesenfeld’s earlier work sonically, and one of the most compelling tracks. Wiesenfeld contemplates his loneliness and flaws in unsparing detail, building to the lacerating line, “I will die waiting / I will die governed / Some crucial move / I never discovered.” It is a goosebump-inducing expression of loneliness typical of the unsparing bloodletting on Gut. The music builds beautifully to a final moment of just Wiesenfeld. Closer “The Sound of a Blooming Flower” builds to a goosebump-inducing finale simultaneously filled with beauty and menace.
Gut is a potent record, and it is all the better for the tension it leaves unresolved. There’s no breakthrough, no resolution of change in the lyrics. Yet this is not an uncomfortable listen. Musically, these are some of Will Wiesenfeld’s warmest, most inviting compositions yet. Hopefully, it won’t take another eight years to hear from Baths. For now, we have a welcome return and high-water mark from a singular artist.