To be a talented band in Britain is not unlike being the bright kid in an advanced class. As it is with most professions, a certain quality must define and separate you from the mess of others that reciprocate your skills. To say Bombay Bicycle Club is a talented band brushes the surface of their identity, for the band can be defined by a number of intricacies that depart them from masses of simply "talented" bands. Yet, they don't have the crucial commercial success abroad...
It should be noted that Bombay Bicycle Club is more reminiscent of an actor than a raving schizophrenic. I will do my best to modestly explain...
A truly great actor can develop a character, make words a being and embody ideals. The best will flawlessly adapt a role and, as a result, depict an ideal, or, rather, a set of ideals. They can take on not just contrasting roles, but complete antithetical juxtapositions of others or self; the raving schizophrenic will have contrasting and conflicting personalities and struggle to maintain an identity in that mess...
Bombay Bicycle Club is coming off of Flaws, an acoustic album built upon bouts of insecurity, bittersweet sentimentality and modern angst. The songs were in themselves subtle conflicts of emotions and ideas (e.g Ivy and Gold, a song about lost love set to an upbeat, whistle driven tune) yet it faltered in comparison to their inaugural release, I Had the Blues But I Shook Them Loose. One can, well, attempt to condemn the band for pursuing their ambitions and interests, but isn't more appropriate to belittle a band for the opposite? As a result, the tepid anticipation was short of palpable and the fallacious idea that the band was going to, again, recreate itself, spread...
Let it be stated: A Different Kind of Fix is different, but it is distinctly Bombay Bicycle Club. With this cynical pessimism contrasted by a naive optimism towards the album, it is yet to disappoint. Unlike some trending band no one has heard of, the album has an air of, well, longevity to it. As I stated earlier comparing the band to an established actor, they have adopted a new album (pardon the pun) flawlessly. The sound is distinct and unique while still maintaining a simplistic appeal. Lead by the vocals of Jack Steadman, now joined by a full time female back up vocalist, the album reaches a new level of depth and intricacy that wasn't exactly missing, but wasn't as distinct in past releases...
There are two very common trends in music:
The repetition trend is where a band will maintain their sound, be it intentional or not.
The other is the thesis, antithesis, synthesis trend. This is where band will have a sound, then contrast it, but later form an appropriate median. For Bombay Bicycle Club, they've now found that median. They aren't that rock band that has failed to break apart from a large and ambitious crowd, nor are they yet another rudimentary acoustic band. Instead, they are presented with an almost nostalgic collection of synths with nearly immaculate production...
Indubitably, the album has one or two songs that don't quite stand at the same level, but there is such a consistency and maturity to the band that has simply appeared on this release. Though they weren't infantile, they simply have achieved a higher level of intellect in their music. If you look at the trend of music in 2011, it's been mostly innovative, new voices taking well known sounds to a new level. Rather than let a common sound become sterile, acts will inject some new energy or quality to reinvigorate it. When listening to A Different Kind of Fix, one doesn't just hear a sound that is synonymous with a panoply of thoughts, emotions, uncertainties etc., but a modern adaptation of simple music. By throwing some complexity into the common "rock: sound, by rebuilding and reconstructing familiar grounds, the album will be refreshing yet friendly; it's that one person you can become attached to or feel like you've known forever because they remind you of an ideal...
The highlights are, of course the singles. Dubious? Check out Shuffle or Lights Out, Words Gone. They are not only fitting examples of the album's sound, but some of the best songwriting in mind. Keep in mind that the album is an eclectic enough mix that a full listen is suggested, though. Songs like Your Eyes, Beggars and Leave It are fitting exhibitions of the bands intellectual and original sound and will exceed their established norm. How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep is the ideal opening track. The melody is infectious; the theme and words simplistic. But what's most important is how familiar and welcoming the sound is. You won't listen to the album and think "This is something I've never heard before," but rather "This is something that exceeds what's expected in its classification." I urge you to check it out. Though for most, the album may not exceed that 7-8/10 threshold, it may be that album to you that breaks free of a defining genre and create its own niche...
What's up for the band now? Bombay Bicycle Club is currently touring Europe. Soon, they will do some east coast stops with Two Door Cinema Club to further promote themselves. North American success is not guaranteed, but based on the surprisingly good first release, the warm and rudimentary second, and now this album, the band has a repertoire that may not guarantee them success, but will make it a probability.
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