Never has an album arrived with such prescient timing. Meg Remy’s sixth album as U.S. Girls (her second with 4AD), In A Poem Unlimited, is a record packed with character stories that capture a quiet, unquenchable rage at the world and will act as a rallying point for those abused by, and within, society. It is also packed with inventiveness and a high level of musical dexterity, containing some of the best pop moments of this, or any other, year. It is an unmissable record that all should hear.

‘Velvet 4 Sale’ sets the mood instantly, with hard-hitting lyrics detailing a potential revenge attack following an assault (“You’ve been sleeping with one eye open because he could always come back you know?”). Remy has revealed in interviews that the song is based on a period when she was abused as a child. From there, each track paints a vivid picture of a world where violence, deception, abuse or scandal is always close to hand, and always in the most expressive language. As well as violence against people, environmental violence is also raised. In ‘Rage Of Plastics’ (a song about the emotional and physical damage caused for not just one, but future, generations by a plastics factory by the river), she sings: “It’s a blight to the brightest how our designs unseam, like the backside of some skirt in some old man’s dream”.

The hard-hitting lyrics of these opening songs are but the surface layer amidst a sea of rich, soulful sounds created by the Toronto instrumental collective, The Cosmic Range. Whereas in the past Remy worked largely alone, utilising samples, here she has surrounded herself with a supremely talented group of musicians. As resolute in her musical freedom as with her personal, In A Poem Unlimited is like an uncaged bird flitting freely from genre to genre. ‘M.A.H.’ could be an original disco classic, and only the lyrics telling of how: “We can never know the hands we’re in until we feel them grip, choking off our air supply” give a hint of the true context – while its reference to being taken for an eight-year ride also presents a political viewpoint too. ‘Incidental Boogie’ is driven by a rich electro-pop groove while the sensational ‘Pearly Gates’ is built on a hip-hop rhythm. Each song sounds completely different to the one before yet, as a collection, they masterfully create a cohesive and satisfying whole. The common strand is the story-telling that pulls them together in a manner that feels startlingly fresh.

Remy’s writing is incredible throughout. ’Rosebud’ seeks to discover the nature of an incident in someone’s past (the title assumably referring to the main mystery within Orson Welles’ ‘Citizen Kane’). Less subtle is ‘Incidental Boogie’, where the character is grateful for finding a man who only beats her in ways that leave no mark – “I got myself a real man who don’t hit that hard so I can still work at my job…Don’t you know there are days I feel so lucky?” It is genuinely upsetting to think of how many people these songs will resonate with and, as a male listener, they force the scales to fall from the eyes. That is what makes In A Poem Unlimited so magnificent and so powerful. It captures moments of truth, and wraps them up in such a stylish manner that a casual listener would only notice catchy pop songs. It is music that stops you in your tracks, yet it also can drive you to the dancefloor.

While the attention to detail and sheer quality of musicianship here elevates it far beyond the norm, the complexity of subject matters make it an absolutely essential listen. At one point, Remy croaks: “Why do I lose my voice when I have something to say?” In some ways, though, her songs here are giving a voice to countless others. After ten years in the business, Meg Remy has, with precision timing, delivered an exceptional work of art that perfectly captures some of the horrific truths of our society that remained hidden for so long. Bring this into your world and prepare to be amazed, delighted, shocked and saddened.

Jamie MacMillan

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