First off, and I don't know quite why but I was really prepared to dislike IV Thieves' offering. But, as they say, you should never judge a book by its cover (or a record by its title), and IV Thieves second record is well worth a listen (the first was released when the band went by the name Nic Armstrong and the Thieves, and the new name reflects their more collaborative sound).
The record finds some pretty well worn grooves, but what the record doesn't quite find in originality it certainly finds in its polished and professional sound; the harmonies that kick off opener "you can't love what you can't understand" manage to open the record with a plaintive, emotional quality; the next two tracks see the group taking in soft rock/Oasisesque territory (it's not surprising, then, that Noel's a fan and the band supported Oasis two years ago), especially on single 'take this heart'. However, the record soon moves in a much more thoughtful direction, and actually reaches a real high with 'higher', a song which reminds me massively of Mansun at their best, and sent me straight off to listen to Attack of the Grey Lantern; as the record progresses the band sounds more and more confident and assured.
In sum - a bit uneven, but ultimately the good bits are worth it.
Watch the video for 'take this heart' here.
0 comments:
Post a Comment