As I hurriedly put this CD player, all sorts of thoughts were running through my head, such as would it be as good as I hoped or as I had been told it was. To be completely honest, I knew within 2 and a half minutes that this would be one of my albums of the year. From the opening chimes of ‘Cold days from the birdhouse’ it immediately conjures up an image of someone looking out a window on a grey, wet day with the piano keys representing the drops of rain against the glass, hugely emotional and as James Grahams Scots accented voice enters the fray to be followed by Andy McFarlane’s wall of guitar noise,it is strikingly obvious that we are dealing with something very special indeed.
I do tend to get over excited every now and then by bands, such is my love of music but rarely have I been so gripped and caught up in a wave by a band such as this. After being left almost speechless by the first track, ‘That summer,at home I had become I boy’ firmly backs up everything I am thinking and some. This is a simply dazzling piece of atmospheric, soaring joy and is sang in a strong Scottish accent which remarkably doesn’t sound out of place at all, it fits beautifully. Imagine the majesty of Mogwai at their dizzy heights coupled with the darkness of Interpol and you have a little of what this band are all about. The producer Peter Katis, who incidentally worked on the brilliant second Interpol record, has brought out from the noise laden demos he received a piece of exquisite beauty which is both brutal and gentle in equal measure. There is so much going on in all the songs see ‘Last years rain didn’t fall quite so hard’ for evidence of a definite Pet Sounds influence and to hear what Godspeed You Black Emperor produced by Phil Spector would sound like listen to ‘Talking with Fireworks’. These are songs of absolutely epic proportions and indeed the length of the song titles match the enormity of the music itself. It is hard to remember the names of the songs but much like a book that you treasure, you rarely recall the names of the chapters, each song seems to melt seamlessly into the next and there is no dip in quality. Although to not mention another standout track in ‘And she would darken the memory’ would be remiss of me. The refrain of “Head up dear, the rabbit might die” will stay with you long after the lights are out and you are alone with your thoughts. As it does throughout the entire album, the layering of earthquaking yet harmonious guitar noise accompanies this track to its momentous conclusion. The instrumental title track plays out the album and you can almost imagine the credits rolling to the best film you’ve never seen. Quite simply, this is without doubt one of the albums of the year, never has five stars been so richly deserved
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