So the Arctic Monkeys have apparently changed direction, but have gone the way you wouldn't expect... Producing a song which is just very, very bland. The sound's alright, it's definitely nicely produced, and after being in a band for 5-10 years you're bound to gel as musicians. It starts with some pretty average rock music: guitar, bass, drums, all doing their thing in a catchy manner. And then you get to 1.50 in, and they kind of revert back to the style of Humbug, and it just doesn't work, there seems to be this tension as to whether they want to continue sounding like Josh Homme or stick to their lad-rock origins, and it creates a jarring experience for the listener. On top of this are the dreadful lyrics which are just so very cringe... I hope this is a b-side to their next album, and they produce a more coherent sound for their album, as they're definitely capable of producing better than this.
The next song sounds the complete opposite. It's from a band who have continued to refine their sound, moving in a definite direction, building upon ideas from previous albums and perfecting it. Albatross wouldn't be out of place on the masterful Two Dancers. Musically it's very impressive, it's very sparse: the piano haunting, the percussion absolutely necessary. But what I love about Wild Beasts is the dynamic between the vocalists and the guitars - there's just so much space - they create this sound to just get lost in. I know a lot of people are put off by the vocals, and I can totally understand why, but if you like them there's no chance you'll hate the band.
No comments:
Post a Comment