“Change of direction” is a phrase to strike fear into the hearts of long-term fans of any artist. So when the Scottish act’s fifth album opens with ‘Not Me Anymore’s rhythm unit and almost doo-wop vocal, it seems a worrying deviation from the now-trio’s usual brand of bombastic indie rock.
Happily, when the drums pound in on ‘Fat Chance’ and Adam Thompson’s vocals hit their customary heights, all is well – indeed, things get much more rocking when ‘All That Glittered’ breenges in.
Overall the band’s fifth album has softer production and more keyboards than before – ‘If It Happens’ has a poppier feel, while ‘Just Don’t Think About It’ is slower and reflective but its booming production a far cry from the opening tune.
‘I Wish You Well’ has a massive wigout in its second half and ‘Nothing Ever Changes’ and ‘Making My Mind Up’ has the frenetic jangle of the band’s earliest work.
10 years on, We Were Promised Jetpacks are growing older – but not too gracefully.
Enjoy The View’ is out now. This article originally appeared in the Blackpool Gazette.