Trophy Scars – Bad Luck

The events surrounding Trophy Scars‘ latest album, Bad Luck, mark its release as a truly remarkable event. Back in 2006 a deceptive promoter cut off the band’s primary revenue stream by pulling the plug on their entire European tour. The band responded by going on hiatus, and little was heard from the Trophy Scars. But a few months passed and the band gave their fans the opportunity to help fund future endeavors. This started the creation of what can only be described as a “community constructed” album. Without their fans, Bad Luck never would have surfaced, let alone commenced. But as when a fan community funds anything, I can only imagine that the expectations and pressure felt by the band were exceedingly high. Thankfully Bad Luck delivers like never before.

I first came across the Trophy Scars during the release of their experimental concept album, Alphabet. Alphabets. While I respected the ambition and intent of the release, I could never get into Jerry Jones’ screaming and accompanying fractured melodies. Admittedly, I had completely forgotten about the band until I stumbled upon some samples of Bad Luck. To my surprise, the Trophy Scars had completely reoriented their sound into something I could really appreciate. Where disjointed vocals once met chaos, sweeping melodies now meet a curious combination of hardcore vocals that come across sounding reminiscent of jazz legend Tom Waits. The effect produces gruff and often varied vocals that capture Bad Luck’s full emotional spectrum. Stylistic influences cover a wide range as well. For example, “Bad Winter‘s” verse holds a distinct Brand New essence, while “El Cowboy Rojo” carries traditional Mexican overtones. A jazz backdrop holds the whole project together, and sets a great atmosphere for the accompanying narrative.

The Trophy Scars have a wonderful knack for creating lively worlds and rich characters. Bad Luck follows its protagonist’s downfall by exploring the effects of his decisions on those around him. The protagonist, a seemingly happily married man, starts by confronting the loss of a close friend. He deals with his loss by questioning his own happiness, and soon gives into temptation when he by chance runs into an old friend. As implied by the title, “luck” plays a central role. From there his journey takes a turn for the worse, as seen by the departure of his wife in “Anna Lucia.” After every attempt at reconciliation, he finds himself even further from from happiness, and eventually starring down the barrel of a gun. The jazz backdrop, complete with cool saxophones and elegant pianos, produces a great film noir feeling that perfectly fits this tragic narrative.

Bad Luck might just be my biggest surprise at this point in 2009. While the album’s influences certainly make it an acquired taste, the deep narrative should be appreciable by a wide audience. For those like myself who have finally found an appreciation for the Trophy Scars, don’t forget to thank the fans for the album that almost never was.