Widely tipped to be the Franz Ferdinand of 2005, my first thought when I went to play this album was simply whether it could live up to the hype the alternative music press have built around it.
Drawing influence from a range of bands including Television and Interpol (and literally dozens more if you listen out for them), Silent Alarm has a good variety of tracks, from the gentle Blue Light to the more aggressive Helicopter. The appeal of the album won't be immediate for all listeners, which probably explains why some shocking reviews are out there. If you like Futureheads, Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand or The Killers, though, you will almost certainly be hooked on Silent Alarm.
The lyrics are light-hearted and a bit quirky, but not so much so that I was left feeling alienated or missing out on in jokes. They are supported by some great guitar and drums too, most notably in Helicopter when the overlapping guitars and tight rhythm section are arguably sounding at their very best.
The first few tracks are incredible, though unfortunately the pace isn't sustained throughout the whole album. In fact this would be nearly impossible anyway; instead the album feels more like a journey through different moods. I do sometimes find myself skipping through the less punchy middle tracks, but the final track Compliments is a great way to end, drawing on what I would probably put down as a Radiohead influence.
Couple this with some great live shows on the NME tour, and I think I can justify the hype. You NEED this album.
------------------------------------------------- The track listing is:
1. Like Eating Glass 2. Helicopter 3. Positive Tension 4. Banquet 5. Blue Light 6. She's Hearing Voices 7. This Modern Love 8. Pioneers 9. Price of Gas 10. So Here We Are 11. Luno 12. Plans 13. Compliments
The DVD provides some live recordings, which although I watched once, didn't really convey their full live experience, so it's probably not worth paying any extra for the DVD version.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
I love this album - good review, straight to the point!
a-true-ben 16.03.2005 18:32
There are a lot of exciting new(ish) bands around right now, like the Bravery, Killers, Kaiser Chiefs, etc. Neither Bloc Party nor Futureheads really do it for me though.
clownfoot 16.03.2005 18:02
I found that to be a very helpful little review. Concise and well-written! Alboy
very helpful by (15%):
helpful by (85%):
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