Expecting To Fly - Bluetones (The)

Advantages: Superb lyrics and melodys
Disadvantages: None

...in the past, of course expecting them not to go, but not always getting the result I'd of hoped for! Lyrically it's short and repetitive in theme but it hits home the mood and feel of the song, and I could listen to it again and again just for the repeated line of; "I'm not the same person I was a year ago, You cut me deeply and the scars still show", this line alone makes this one of my favourite Bluetones, and favourite all time songs. The melody ...
...it's hard to describe. TIME & AGAIN ♫♩♬♪♫♩♬♪♫♩♬♪ This is a slightly darker feel to the album, although not overly, Bluetones are melodic at the darkest of times. Lyrically though Mark sounds a little depressed here; "Nothing I can do could ever bring those feelings back, I've taken everything - my body is a bloated sack, The days behind me start rolling into months . . . Everything ... Read review

Advantages: Top class tunes, brilliant guitar work
Disadvantages: None

Unique is a word that's cast about all too liberally these days. Somebody does something slightly out of the ordinary, and it becomes 'unique'. Thankfully, there's enough of us around with our head screwed on to cynically dismiss this vague concept of greatness, and look for the real meat to these falsely titled items. For something to be unique, it must have a fair proportion of difference to everything else out there. It's a term that's hard to ...
...be thrown about too much either. For these precise reasons, I'm not going to label the Bluetones as unique. Although maybe I should. While they certainly don't sound like anyone else I know, they probably don't have enough about them to make them unique - they still have a vaguely indieish sound, if with more sophisticated overtones. And, of course, I know other bands that deserve the tag of 'unique' even more than the 'Tones. - The history The ... Read review

Advantages: Some classic pop moments
Disadvantages: Some songs that are just plain boring

The Bluetones first came to my attention with their bouncy debut single "Are You Blue Or Are You Blind?" in 1995, the year of Britpop. While most of the music of that era has dated like a 1980s Citroen, that song is constantly on my stereo. So I was obviously annoyed to see that they didn’t stick it on their debut album along with the two superb follow-up singles "Bluetonic" (track 2) and "Slight Return" (track 7). The latter is not a cover ...
...thing to do), but a song that sounds more like the Stone Roses than the Stone Roses ever did. These three singles promised an excellent album, but I couldn’t help being disappointed by what followed. It opens with another slice of plagiarism "Talking To Clarry". This song is so like "Dear Prudence" by the Beatles, that they even had the nerve to stick the air plane sound on at the start! Its tempo echoes around the album like a voice in a ... Read review

Advantages: Lots of great tracks
Disadvantages: The first single isn't on the album

Ah Britpop, you were responsible for so much! Shed Seven, Sleeper and various others. Luckily in amongst the dross you managed to create a few decent bands – The Bluetones are one of these bands. Shooting into the spotlight with the fabulous, and completely unrelated to Hendrix, Slight Return the Bluetones straight away became one of my favourite bands of that time, even their B-Sides were great! As is this album, it mainly consists of guitar pop ...
...from your head – you’re way off. Every track on the album is great, which made their following album, Return to the Last Chance saloon all the more disappointing. But this is album is so good I couldn’t pick any standout tracks or any faults with the album. Well, maybe one – the first single, Are You Blue Or Are You Blind isn’t on the album. ... Read review

Advantages: easy listening . . . consistently good songs
Disadvantages: may take a few listens to get into

I'm not sure whether i am biased from listening to 'Return to the last chance saloon' before this Bluetones album or what, but i think that this is the second best album from the band, but only by a very close margin. It is definitely one of the best debut albums from a British band i've ever heard, and deserves better recognition. Most will be aware of these guys from the outsdanding single 'Slight Return' which is definitely the best track here. ...
...so much so that i couldn't possibly mention one which stands out. Their style is very different to your normal band, with a very satisfying balance between the instrumental and lyrical. So different that i don't think a comparison to another band would do this band justice. Overall, i think that the Bluetones seem to have confidently produced and amazing debut album, which is both original and appealing to a wide audience. To miss out on this album, ... Read review

Advantages: Autophilia
Disadvantages: Needs some stronger singles

...This is the Bluetones third album (after "Expecting to Fly" and "Return to Last Chance Saloon"), and doesn't look as if it's going to dent the charts much more than it has done already, which is a shame because it's another excellent collection of songs from an underrated band. The Bluetones have never again hit the heights they managed when they released "Slight Return" some years ago, which reached number 2 in the singles chart, but "Autophilia" and "Keep the Home Fires Burning" are both very strong singles. Maybe this will be another case of a band needing a smash hit single to bring the album to everyone's attention (see Robbie Williams' "Angels"), and I'm afraid if that is the case, then "Science and Nature" won't hit the headlines as it's very much an excellent collection rather than having standout tracks. Buy it, you will like... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: The tones are back on form
Disadvantages: But it's not quite as good as the debut

...Phew, the ‘tones had me worried after the disappointing Return to the Last Chance Saloon, but this is a definite return to form. Prior to writing this album the band increased in size by adding a keyboard player and it added a new dimension to the music. Opening track Zorrro, with it’s Mexican elements, sounds like it could have come off Return, but happily it’s also a good song. As are all the songs on the album, Autophillia verges on psychedelia at times but still keeps the ‘tone’s pop sensibilities while Keep the Home Fires Burning is classic Bluetones. Overall it’s a great album, just not quite as good as Expecting to Fly, let’s hope they keep the momentum going this time.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: A few good tracks
Disadvantages: It's mainly dross

...The Bluetones had a lot to live up to after their stunning debut album, Expecting To Fly. Unfortunately they didn’t really manage it. There are some good songs on Return to the Last Chance Saloon but a lot of the songs just sound like filler to me. The first two tracks, Tone Blooze and Unpainted Arizona, are really one track an are very good and fool you into thinking that you’re in for a treat. As does the next track, rousing single Solomon Bites The Worm, but after this the quality plummets. It begins picking up again with Sleazy Bed Track and is right back at top notch for If… with it’s pulsing bass line. After this though there’s a huge gap before the next (And last) good song, Down At the Reservoir. If you’ve got the singles off this album, don’t bother buying it. If you don’t, still think hard about it and then buy one of the other... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful