LOVE LETTERS: This Is All Yours, ALT-J (2014)

This article was originally published in 2020 on Let It Happen, an independent music blog based in Cardiff.

Consistency is a difficult concept. Every chapter of my life feels exactly that – a chapter. A phase. A passing emotion, a fleeting thought, a season in the wind. Typically, I find myself affiliating albums with a concrete time in the past, an overwhelming nostalgia pulling me in upon every revisit. 

There is, however, one album that flouts this unwritten rule: This Is All Yours, the second LP (and prodigious masterpiece) by art-rock trio alt-J. 

This Is All Yours has proven to be the most fulfilling album I have ever had the pleasure of spending my time with, serving me in the most unfathomable ways: being a solitary voice of calm with Choice Kingdom; the embrace of a lover taking the form of Every Other Freckle; the gentle reassurance of a friend spoken in Pusher. Enveloped in the most immense and unique sounds, the album has been everything I've needed and more over the past 6 years. It has carried me through hardships, trials, and tribulations I have faced with an inordinate grace, and continued to evolve alongside me as I have grown.

The album is a scrapbook of my fondest memories alone. Pages turning with each track emblazoned with the memories of starry skies, lapping waves, floating embers. Soundtracking my most mundane experiences, and my most insane. Standing at the bus stop in rainy December. Climbing atop an Icelandic glacier. Together, we have traversed vast plains, both geographically and emotionally, and I cannot envision any better company.

Providing me with rationale and a clear view, This Is All Yours has calmed my most erratic moments, whilst simultaneously giving me an energy I could not find within myself at my most despondent. It has been a consistent safe space throughout my adolescence into young adulthood, allowing me to deeply feel my vulnerabilities and, in turn, prosper. This album encouraged me to be fearless, whilst embracing my fears. For that, I am eternally grateful; it was a valuable lesson that I needed to learn. Saut dans le vide. 

Beyond the lyrics, the intricate twists and turns of each track are embellished with the most magical synths and melodies. Complex beats and rhythms lay the perfect foundation for the harmonic, choral vocals, and pave the way for the addition of elements such as glockenspiel diapasons and symphonic piano arrangements. Balancing compositions as refined as these with raw emotion and vulnerability is a masterful achievement that deserves to be celebrated. Upon each listen, every ritornelle rings eerily familiar, haunting with an overwhelming yet comforting sense of endearment. 

The love that became instilled within me through my time with This Is All Yours extended largely into my wellbeing and personal endeavors. Not only did I become more at peace with my existence in this difficult and confusing world, but I learned to be more open and affectionate. Having gained some of my most valuable friendships in virtue of my fondness for alt-J, and in turn some of the most radical and exciting experiences, I liken the album to being my gateway to a happier perspective on life. Multiple trips spanning seven cities, three countries, two guest-list attendances, and one thousand-mile round trip have all been born into fruition via my infatuation with the three, previously four-piece band that I hold accountable for my own perseverance. 

To this day, I am still hearing new elements within every track with each listen. I could blame that on hearing loss, but I'm choosing to credit the masterful minds behind it all. Drawing the connections between the finer elements is the key to really understanding the flow of the album, and appreciating the perspicacious craft beneath the already impressive exterior.

 I'd like to make an honorable mention to the narratives embedded in this album, both literally and figuratively. The repetition of a chord sequence that features in both Bloodflood pt. II and Pusher (similar to their rendition of Dancing in the Moonlight featuring the same progression as Interlude II from their debut) is a subtle yet exquisite expression of a tactful approach to songwriting. The sequential story told of Nara, a popular deer-filled city in Japan, is told in three parts – Arrival in Nara, Nara, and Leaving Nara. Dispersed throughout the album, we hear a clear atmospheric distinction between the songs, despite the common themes and opposing symbolism. The main body of this narrative reveals itself in Nara, which has become almost anthemic for the LGBTQ+ community. 

Another unique observation about alt-J is the content of their songs. Not-your-average-love-song Pusher toys with the same themes as many other songs – heartbreak, love, and loss, whilst being unmatched in its approach to conveying these emotions. Every Other Freckle remains lustful in the most abstract of ways, depicting the aphrodisia in the form of cat-related similes and references to... crisp packets. I'm not joking. It’s this kind of intriguing poeticism that drew me to love alt-J in the first place, and so the interesting literary choices only fuel my appreciation further. Reaffirming my point that the album continues to be relevant six years on, the closing cover of Lovely Day also serves as a fitting tribute to the recently departed Bill Withers. 

It’s safe to say that alt-J will always hold a special place in my heart, as will This Is All Yours. I’d vouch that it could be the album that made me the person that I am today, or at least a significant factor. For that, I am perpetually grateful, and would like to thank Thom, Joe, Gus, and Gwil for all of their efforts. It has been a pleasure to spend time in the company of wonderful music for so long, and I cannot encourage anyone reading this enough to let the album into your life. I, for one, am so incredibly glad that I did.