|
reviews: |
 | |
|
Idlewild: 100 Broken Windows
Following on from their debut EP Captain and their first 'proper' album Hope is Important, young Scottish
upstarts Idlewild have come up with an absolute corker, make no mistake. 100 Broken Windows serves to show the depth
and maturity that the band have gained from their thrashy punk origins, to a more emotional style of alt-rock. The music
sounds just as energetic as ever, but there is a general improvement in musicianship. All in all, the songs sound cleaner,
more focused, and have the kind of crisp production values that would put Foo Fighters to shame. Rod Jones' guitar lines
explore more challenging and unorthodox material, and this has often resulted in strange yet beautiful structures, like the
verse of "Idea Track." Most notable is the development in Roddy Woomble's voice- transformed from snarling punk screams to a
wonderful full-bodied instrument in its own right- displaying both melody and maturity in equal measures. It is certainly
hard to find faults with this album, and emotional anthems like "Actually It's Darkness," "Roseability," and "Little
Discourage" seal Idlewild's fate as one of the most exciting things to happen in Scottish, and indeed British rock music for
quite some time.
-Ruari
|
| |
|
Incubus: Make Yourself
Every once in a while, an album comes along that totally rocks your world. Every song has it's own unique vibe that sets
itself out from the rest, but the album fits together like a thousand piece puzzle, perfectly. Incubus is the biggest secret
in hard rock today. They get moderate radio play, but don't get the acclaim that such creativity deserves. I think it's
better that way. Make Yourself is a masterpiece. It's lyrics and vocals, delivered by Brandon Boyd, leave me stunned
every time I listen to it. Their's no singing about the "nookie" or asking how old they are. It's about straight up life.
"Pardon Me," thier biggest radio hit, is about life sucking and the thought of just blowing up from all the pressure. "Make
Yourself" is aboutbeing able to make your own fate. "The Warmth" gives us all hope even in the bleakest situation. My
favorite, "Stellar", is a beautiful love song, which when listened to, could make the one your chasing throw you down and
want you right there. It has some weird elements, such as "Battlestar Scralatchitca", a war of DJs. I can try to shell this
album as much as I want to. This album is damn near perfect. I'd really have to nitpick to find a flaw, and I have been
trying. Maybe I'll find one, but don't count on it. Do yourself a favor: Get this.
-Matt
|
| |
|
Incubus: When Incubus Attacks Vol. 1 EP
Brandon Boyd has restored my faith in rock. He arguably has, along with Chino Moreno, Maynard James Keenan, and Aaron Lewis,
one of the most unique and amazing voices. He beats the prior three in range, and on the acoustic tracks shows off his
softer, more melodic side (as if that's possible, right?). All three - "Pardon Me," "Stellar," and "Make Yourself" - sound
as good as the originals, but with that special tingle that only an acoustic song carries. "Crowded Elevator," which shows
up only on the Scream 3 soundtrack, is pretty good, and seems like it belongs on S.C.I.E.N.C.E. The last two
tracks, live versions of "Favorite Things" and "Pardon Me," will have you wanting two things: to see them live and a new
Incubus release. Get this, as right now it's limited to 100,000 copies.
-Matt
|