Friday, July 11, 2008

Album Review - The Music

The Music – Strength In Numbers
[EMI; 16/06/2008]


From seeing the video for this album's lead single (the title track), you could see what The Music were trying to do. 'Going big' could be said for most of Strength In Numbers that ends the debate in regards to deciphering whether The Music are contenders or indeed, pretenders.

The band's debut album held so much promise. From the opening freak-out that was 'The Dance' many felt an invigorated swagger from four kids from Leeds and their ability to pen a good tune.

2005's Welcome to the North held signs of solidarity, but failed to render the edge that its predecessor so willfully displayed, which leads us to now; the big down fall that is Strength in Numbers.

Numbers like 'Spike' and 'Drugs' are nothing more than in-your-face lyrical statements that cater for the wider audience, failing to hold any mystery or soul, instead substituted for glossy sounds and face value thoughts. Frontman, Robert Harvey was never the best lyricist going about in the early days, but his swagger and ability to swathe through the bold instrumentation his band delivered held enough mystery to keep one intrigued. That all seems to be at a loss now.

You never say never with art, but in many ways what the Music have created with Strength In Numbers can't be defined as artistic. It feels more like a 'product' that's been compromised by certain types; even the album's title brims with irony. The Music aren't the first to fall into this trap. Many other bands who formed around the same time have also been misguided down the familiar path and have equally suffered a similar fate.

By Simon K

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