Post by Maximo Mark on Apr 7, 2008 10:57:10 GMT 1
I loved their debut 'Through The Windowpane' right from the start, I've fallen in love with it so much that I'd now place it in my top 5 albums of all time. I never expected their second album to be in the same league but had hoped it would still be good. Opener 'Kriss Kross' is all big and in-your-face, it's a great way to start the album, with something that wouldn't sound out of place on their debut (think a louder 'Trains To Brazil') but still manages to be different enough to realise they've progressed their sound to a new level.
The music press may have said that the album has far more R&B influence than their debut, it is probably most evident on second track 'Big Dog', and whilst this sound may have been criticised, it shouldn't be. It is again wonderful and they should be praised for bringing in so many different styles into one song or one album and it still working. Third track 'Falling Out Of Reach' starts off with a simple acoustic guitar and for the first minute or so you feel it wouldn't really be out of place on an album of the latest Blunt-esque Singer/Songwriters album the likes of Q and Radio 1 are bumming. But it turns into something far more beautiful, an epic, slow building ballad that again, wouldn't sound out of place on TTW but is still different enough to recognise that it's not that with more use of a guitar than the piano.
Lead single 'Get Over It' is next, and whilst it may be a good single and song to get them more recognised with its chants of the title and various Oooo's, it's far from being one of the albums best, there are catchier songs, more instant songs, more varied songs and more accessible songs on it. 'Clarion' takes a while to get going with an intro of various noises but when it does you can hear the supposed 'world' influences they have. Again, another great song which doesn't sound like anything that's been so far, although when it ends you get the feeling it could probably build for another minute or so.
Next comes 'Last Kiss', and although it's incredibly hard to pick one, is probably the albums highlight. It starts off sounding like some kind of funky disco song and that continues throughout. Most surprising though, is that when the vocal kicks in it's not the wonderful tones of Fyfe we've come to expect, but is actually Aristazabel, it's incredibly refreshing to hear her get the lead vocal, and on this evidence, she should get it more! There's more funkiness next with 'Cockateels' which has a catchy 'Ahhhhhhh ahhh ahhh' backing vocal that is guaranteed to get stuck in your head, and for a change, it's no bad thing. Again, more and more influences noted as this is where the much mentioned Bollywood sound comes in.
'Words' is next, another stunning ballad, about how words can sometimes be useless, at no point does it sound dull or clichéd, it's just lovely beyond words. 'Standing On The Last Star' is next and has to be a future single, it's wonderful, catchy and features a falsetto from Fyfe that the likes of Mika can only dream of. The final two tracks are also great, 'Don't Look Down' is fairly instant and closer 'Take Me Home' is as beautiful as anything on their debut.
After so many really disappointing follow-ups to debuts I've loved this decade (Interpol, The Libertines, Maximo Park, Bloc Party, The Go! Team to name the most obvious few) it's so utterly refreshing for a band not only to have produced another stunning album, but one which in time, may well equal, if not better their debut. To me, that was previously unthinkable but somehow, they've managed it. Ignore the likes of the NME's criticism, this is far better and more varied than anything any of their latest skinny jeans wearing bands could ever make. It might not be TTW II but then how dull would that be? It's great they've not tried to create anything like that, another attempt at a 'Sao Paolo' would've been beyond rubbish. If you loved their debut (which many people do) you should at least think this is good, just don't expect it to be first listen instant. This is an album full of quite varied, but still joyous, pop songs. With three EPs, two albums and all their B-sides, they are definitely about the best British band of the decade; they'll never sell in great numbers but should always be loved by their core fanbase. A definite
The music press may have said that the album has far more R&B influence than their debut, it is probably most evident on second track 'Big Dog', and whilst this sound may have been criticised, it shouldn't be. It is again wonderful and they should be praised for bringing in so many different styles into one song or one album and it still working. Third track 'Falling Out Of Reach' starts off with a simple acoustic guitar and for the first minute or so you feel it wouldn't really be out of place on an album of the latest Blunt-esque Singer/Songwriters album the likes of Q and Radio 1 are bumming. But it turns into something far more beautiful, an epic, slow building ballad that again, wouldn't sound out of place on TTW but is still different enough to recognise that it's not that with more use of a guitar than the piano.
Lead single 'Get Over It' is next, and whilst it may be a good single and song to get them more recognised with its chants of the title and various Oooo's, it's far from being one of the albums best, there are catchier songs, more instant songs, more varied songs and more accessible songs on it. 'Clarion' takes a while to get going with an intro of various noises but when it does you can hear the supposed 'world' influences they have. Again, another great song which doesn't sound like anything that's been so far, although when it ends you get the feeling it could probably build for another minute or so.
Next comes 'Last Kiss', and although it's incredibly hard to pick one, is probably the albums highlight. It starts off sounding like some kind of funky disco song and that continues throughout. Most surprising though, is that when the vocal kicks in it's not the wonderful tones of Fyfe we've come to expect, but is actually Aristazabel, it's incredibly refreshing to hear her get the lead vocal, and on this evidence, she should get it more! There's more funkiness next with 'Cockateels' which has a catchy 'Ahhhhhhh ahhh ahhh' backing vocal that is guaranteed to get stuck in your head, and for a change, it's no bad thing. Again, more and more influences noted as this is where the much mentioned Bollywood sound comes in.
'Words' is next, another stunning ballad, about how words can sometimes be useless, at no point does it sound dull or clichéd, it's just lovely beyond words. 'Standing On The Last Star' is next and has to be a future single, it's wonderful, catchy and features a falsetto from Fyfe that the likes of Mika can only dream of. The final two tracks are also great, 'Don't Look Down' is fairly instant and closer 'Take Me Home' is as beautiful as anything on their debut.
After so many really disappointing follow-ups to debuts I've loved this decade (Interpol, The Libertines, Maximo Park, Bloc Party, The Go! Team to name the most obvious few) it's so utterly refreshing for a band not only to have produced another stunning album, but one which in time, may well equal, if not better their debut. To me, that was previously unthinkable but somehow, they've managed it. Ignore the likes of the NME's criticism, this is far better and more varied than anything any of their latest skinny jeans wearing bands could ever make. It might not be TTW II but then how dull would that be? It's great they've not tried to create anything like that, another attempt at a 'Sao Paolo' would've been beyond rubbish. If you loved their debut (which many people do) you should at least think this is good, just don't expect it to be first listen instant. This is an album full of quite varied, but still joyous, pop songs. With three EPs, two albums and all their B-sides, they are definitely about the best British band of the decade; they'll never sell in great numbers but should always be loved by their core fanbase. A definite
Thanks Mark - glad that you really liked it.
.jpg/220px-Oolong_the_Rabbit's_last_performance_(2003).jpg)
