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Bring drum and bass to the mainstream not possible I hear you cry? This lot are
just as welcome at the rock festivals as they are at the chav discos I’ll have you know...
Opening track ‘Genesis’ is like a film score and as well they have a mighty blockbuster on their hands
as we build up to the noise explosion of ‘Salt in the Wounds’. This track is comparable to a body-builder performing a flex routine as
various implements of the Pendulum arsenal get a work out – from dirty synth to crashing drums. It all gets slowed down too, to masterful
effect.
Opening single, ‘Watercolour’ is where we really get a taste of their power, though it still gets its own
regal opening! Rob Swire’s earthy vocals interlace with a stonking key line that is as catchy as it is
invigorating. ‘Set Me on Fire’, I’m astonished to say, hits even bigger heights with some uncredited reggae
vocals, reminiscent of Prodigy’s ‘Thunder’ (more on them later). It tells an epic story through the medium of noise delightfully. ‘Crush’ is an all-out electro assault and works really well with Styles’ powerful delivery, this is another enjoyable effort.
The underwater feel is faithfully achieved on ‘Under the Waves’ which almost sounds like a techno 80s video game soundtrack. Liam Howlett
almost inspires Swire to be Keith Flint on ‘Immunize’ and I’m sure the green-haired one would have loved a crack at this authentically
insane techno romp. ‘The Island’ is split into the chillout vibes of ‘Dawn’ (which could actually have been the Zelda theme) and the somewhat darker outrageous feel of ‘Dusk’. I think the latter probably has the edge, due to its variety.
Swire openly imitates Trent Reznor’s Nine Inch Nails on ‘Comprachicos’. I think he goes a little over the top with it, but it’s a reasonable attempt and hardly a setback. Things get a bit grimey on ‘The Vulture’ – which ironically sounds more like NIN’s earlier work, with an accent. It’s got a catchy beat too that swings through and steals your ears.
Second single, ‘Witchcraft’ also uses this tactic spinning a dirty synth through some rather gruff vocals.
It’s more of a metal song really and is a good track. ‘Self Vs Self’ continues the heavy vibes with death metallers, In Flames. I don’t quite know how Pendulum pull this off, but pulled it off they have. ‘The Fountain’ throws in Steven Wilson’s multi-talents in an energetic memorable epic. ‘Encoder’ ends in understated retro style and breaks down wonderfully.
Released - 21/5/10
Label - Warner
3rd studio release
- Watercolour
- Set Me on Fire
- Crush
- Under the Waves
- Immunize
- The Island
- The Vulture
- Witchcraft
- Self Vs Self
- The Fountain
- Encoder
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THIS is how you do drum and bass, so whoever thought hard rock stylings would be
the key ingredient? What is important is that this is an incredible record and
we could have a winner for album of the year already.
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It must be strange to be less popular overseas than in your own country.
It happened to Scissor Sisters, ABBA, Bryan Adams and it’s happening to American LCD Soundsystem mastermind, James Murphy. Still two
well-received albums down and this could be the final one.
Opener, ‘Dance Yrself Clean’ is almost like a camp fire chant (I’m sure those sound effects could be recreated in the woods) and a very sobering start, initially, at least until the mighty synth kicks in.
The reprise is useful to the song and soon we are hearing a very stellar
electro opening.
Second and first single, ‘Drunk Girls’ is the shortest track here at just 3:42. A chant of “drunk girls” echoes in and out of a progressively fast-paced tune. Lyrically it’s as amusing as a frat party that’s got a little out of control and that’s pretty much what it sounds like, which isn’t good. There’s a retro industrial feel about ‘One Touch’ and it doesn’t sound dissimilar initially to previous hits like ‘Get Innocuous!’ Eventually we do get a robotic, Bowie-esque delivery alongside some
over-exaggerated backing squealing the title. It tends to drone on a bit and
never gives anything above mediocrity.
Minor experimentation comes in the form of the classic guitar production of ‘All I Want’. It tries to be a driving tune and it certainly achieves that mantra with
lyrics of missing someone and of course that incessant guitar, backed up by
some nice keys. It is likeable and one of the better efforts.
We head into space for the dreamy vibes of ‘I Can Change’. If we were trying to make a song now that could have been released in 1981
than it’s a success and this would certainly have been on the playlist of those with
synthesized taste. It really embodies all that self examination of the era.
You could be forgiven for thinking that ‘You Wanted a Hit’s discreet and likeable start was going to last forever but it eventually
evolves into a toe-tapping vocal assault. It’s catchy initially but very forgettable after – minus the opening! ‘Pow Pow’ blurs the borders of poetry and music to the point where you’re just waiting to hear what is next said – apart from it doesn’t sound very interesting, so don’t bother.
Echoes of Leftfield and the legendary Trainspotting soundtrack comes on the
quiet ramblings of ‘Somebody’s Calling Me’. It has a reasonable melody reverberating through, which is good, but I just
don’t see the bit that would make me glad I’d bought it. If ‘Home’ was trying to sound warm, friendly and likeable than it’s managed to do so and is actually quite an enjoyable end to the record.
Released - 17/5/10
Label - The DFA
3rd studio album
OK, call me the alien, but I don’t get the hype surrounding LCD Soundsystem. Like Vampire Weekend, they don’t produce anything consistently remarkable and this record is a bit of a drag in
truth – and music shouldn’t be about getting to the end.
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(c) ChrisOnline.biz 2010
