The cover art of Things Haven’t Gone Well gives a pretty clear picture of what this record is about. The title solidifies your notions. The music then proceeds to hammer it over your head. The first release from Harvey Milk’s Stephen Tanner under the moniker Music Blues is an uneven, fragmented and at times distressing listen—it’s also completely captivating.
Things really weren’t going well for Tanner in 2010 when he began writing material for what he thought would be the next Harvey Milk record. His longtime friend Jerry Fuchs, who played drums in !!! and LCD Soundsystem, died after falling down an elevator shaft. Tanner ended up staying at Harvey Milk guitarist Creston Spiers’ house, drinking and watching reruns of Beverly Hills, 90210. As he puts it: “I didn’t have a job. I didn’t have anywhere to live. My girlfriend and I broke up. I stayed at Creston’s house, which was more depressing than anything, for three months.”
Things Haven’t Gone Well is the sound of a man at the tipping point. It’s exhausting, heavy and, if a scent were attached to it, would likely give off an unhealthy stench. The 11 tracks are seemingly arranged in order beginning with “9/17/71,” the date Tanner was born, which is followed by the lurching “Pre-Cesarean Delivery.” The titles get progressively grimmer, while the sludgy riffs grow more heavy, more drone-y, seemingly lost as the man making the noise. The riff to “Great Depression” just seems to hang there and buzz painfully while the drums are in full caveman mode.
For an album that at times feels aimless, Things Haven’t Gone Well is an engrossing listen. They say misery makes for good art, and this is a true example of that. Depression is nothing to take lightly. But Tanner would probably be the first to tell you that music can also be the very thing that gets someone through it.