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The Album Review Club - End of Round #9 Break (page 1904)
- Thread starter RobMCFC
- Start date
BimboBob
Well-Known Member
Never heard of them so I'm excited to hear new stuff.
journolud
Well-Known Member
Just listening to this. Not what I expected (in a good way). Some of the reviews I've read suggest they and this are a bit forgettable and lacking in substance but on first listen that sounds like an unfair criticism.
Just listening to this. Not what I expected (in a good way). Some of the reviews I've read suggest they and this are a bit forgettable and lacking in substance but on first listen that sounds like an unfair criticism.
A bit more depth to this one than what they are generally known for perhaps. Might take a bit of patience to settle into.
RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
Given to the Wild – The Maccabees
I’ve never listened to them before, but I have heard of them and whenever I see “The Maccabees”, I can’t help thinking of Maccabee Tel Aviv. I guess that’s obscure European football knowledge for you!
This album fits into the “it’s OK” category. On the positive side, I like some of the guitar atmospherics going on, and whilst after a while it can sound like it’s going nowhere (e.g. back-to-back tracks “Ayla” and “Glimmer” sound incredibly bland and pointless) tracks like “Heave”, “Pelican” and “Went Away” (the best portion of the album) inject that little bit of grit and a welcome change of pace.
But it’s that lack of grit that really gets me – most of the songs are so smooth that it works as pleasant background music but doesn’t stand up to any deeper thought or get your pulse racing. The other issue is, yes, you’ve guessed it, the vocals. They seem to be from that cookie cutter British indie rock factory that’s been running from the mid-80s to the present day. It doesn’t matter whether it’s The Maccabees or Kasabian or Coldplay or <insert your band name here>, they all sound the same and overly earnest whilst displaying very little vocal ability or character. Also, without a lyric sheet, it’s a real struggle to hear the words in some of the songs.
Like I said, it’s not without merits and it was no problem for me to listen twice through, so 6/10.
I’ve never listened to them before, but I have heard of them and whenever I see “The Maccabees”, I can’t help thinking of Maccabee Tel Aviv. I guess that’s obscure European football knowledge for you!
This album fits into the “it’s OK” category. On the positive side, I like some of the guitar atmospherics going on, and whilst after a while it can sound like it’s going nowhere (e.g. back-to-back tracks “Ayla” and “Glimmer” sound incredibly bland and pointless) tracks like “Heave”, “Pelican” and “Went Away” (the best portion of the album) inject that little bit of grit and a welcome change of pace.
But it’s that lack of grit that really gets me – most of the songs are so smooth that it works as pleasant background music but doesn’t stand up to any deeper thought or get your pulse racing. The other issue is, yes, you’ve guessed it, the vocals. They seem to be from that cookie cutter British indie rock factory that’s been running from the mid-80s to the present day. It doesn’t matter whether it’s The Maccabees or Kasabian or Coldplay or <insert your band name here>, they all sound the same and overly earnest whilst displaying very little vocal ability or character. Also, without a lyric sheet, it’s a real struggle to hear the words in some of the songs.
Like I said, it’s not without merits and it was no problem for me to listen twice through, so 6/10.
GoatersLeftShin
Well-Known Member
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Had a listen to this tonight whilst I was working and I thought it was quite nice. I've heard of the Maccabees but I've never made an effort to listen to them so it was quite nice having a listen to this. I do like it on this thread when you get albums you've never listened to before as it's much more interesting - in my view anyway!
I agree with Spotify fans that "Pelican" is the best track on the album, but I also really liked "Ayla" as it had a nice change of pace to it. For some reason I was expecting some 'indie rock' type songs but there wasn't the type I was expecting. It was quite laid back and 'mellow' for want of a better word.
Overall it was quite a nice album and I've taken a couple of tracks for the playlists. Would I play it again? Yeah, why not - it's not great but certainly not bad. I think it might get played when we've got people round.
it gets a 6 from me.
I agree with Spotify fans that "Pelican" is the best track on the album, but I also really liked "Ayla" as it had a nice change of pace to it. For some reason I was expecting some 'indie rock' type songs but there wasn't the type I was expecting. It was quite laid back and 'mellow' for want of a better word.
Overall it was quite a nice album and I've taken a couple of tracks for the playlists. Would I play it again? Yeah, why not - it's not great but certainly not bad. I think it might get played when we've got people round.
it gets a 6 from me.
mancity2012_eamo
Well-Known Member
I’m in broad agreement with Rob and GLS on this but I’ll stretch to a charitable 7 as a score.
I have heard much of this album. I think I’ve played it before yet not all the songs have stuck in my head.
I think ultimately this is a very pleasant listen. Definitely background music is where I most appreciated it. I think when you try to scrutinise or analyse it, it becomes too similar for a whole album.
Between Feel To Follow and Pelican I was definitely looking for that welcome change of pace. A lot of it just washes over, but the reason I’ll stretch to a 7 is that there isn’t any individual song that I find I want to skip. Each on their own is a pleasant inoffensive offering although collectively in an album they can become too much of the same thing. But the album itself collectively has a very good overall chill out vibe.
Does any of that make sense?
Don’t mean this as a negative either, as it’s all subjective, but the whole album strikes me as a kind of Talk Talk without conviction. The guys voice isn’t too dissimilar to Mark Hollis but nowhere near as strong or confident. Consequently there are no real knockout punches on the album.
Still. Very listenable.
I have heard much of this album. I think I’ve played it before yet not all the songs have stuck in my head.
I think ultimately this is a very pleasant listen. Definitely background music is where I most appreciated it. I think when you try to scrutinise or analyse it, it becomes too similar for a whole album.
Between Feel To Follow and Pelican I was definitely looking for that welcome change of pace. A lot of it just washes over, but the reason I’ll stretch to a 7 is that there isn’t any individual song that I find I want to skip. Each on their own is a pleasant inoffensive offering although collectively in an album they can become too much of the same thing. But the album itself collectively has a very good overall chill out vibe.
Does any of that make sense?
Don’t mean this as a negative either, as it’s all subjective, but the whole album strikes me as a kind of Talk Talk without conviction. The guys voice isn’t too dissimilar to Mark Hollis but nowhere near as strong or confident. Consequently there are no real knockout punches on the album.
Still. Very listenable.
BimboBob
Well-Known Member
3 listens and I'm tapping out.
It's just so dull, nothing ever really gets going and it's very dreary. Weirdly, with all this dreariness going on I quite like the singing. It can't save the album though.
4/10 for me.
It's just so dull, nothing ever really gets going and it's very dreary. Weirdly, with all this dreariness going on I quite like the singing. It can't save the album though.
4/10 for me.
journolud
Well-Known Member
I kind of get what people say about identikit indie bands and in a way these would seem to fit in to that category. The only song of theirs I was previously familiar with is "Marks to Prove It", one my wife made me download onto a playlist but I had no objection to without wanting to explore them further.
This is a bit similar in terms of it's impact although musically pretty different. I've enjoyed listening to it three times so far but couldn't now hum or tap any of the tracks. I'm not going to mark it down though, I like it and will most likely add it to those albums I bung on when I want something easy and generic and I think it has the potential to get under my skin with repeated listens.
It's a 7 from me
This is a bit similar in terms of it's impact although musically pretty different. I've enjoyed listening to it three times so far but couldn't now hum or tap any of the tracks. I'm not going to mark it down though, I like it and will most likely add it to those albums I bung on when I want something easy and generic and I think it has the potential to get under my skin with repeated listens.
It's a 7 from me