Logo
DiS Needs You: Save our site »
  • "We never stopped doing things": DiS Meets The Longcut about 12 hours ago
  • Jenny Wilson - Exorcism 1 day ago
  • Mouse on Mars - Dimensional People 1 day ago
  • DiScover Diron Animal 1 day ago
  • The Damned - Evil Spirits 4 days ago
  • Slug - HiggledyPiggledy 4 days ago
  • Christina Vantzou - No. 4 6 days ago
  • The Fangasm: The Midnight Organ Fight by Frightened Rabbit 6 days ago
  • Logo_home2
  • Records
  • In Depth
  • In Photos
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Search
  • Community
  • Records
  • In Depth
  • Blog
  • Community

The Jim Muir Slideshow

... And With The Fading Of The Light

Label: A Tomorrows World Industry Release Date: 21/01/2008

31959
dionisio by Rob Webb January 24th, 2008

"And there's no ecstasy left to save us", states Jim Muir on the opening line of his Slideshow's debut LP, and the tone is very much set. This is not a record to put on just before you go out, that's for sure, nor is said opener, one imagines, ideal comedown listening.

Still, as a just-before-bed album it's perfect. Not necessarily in a_ "gee, this is really dull, where did I put that book... zzzzz" kind of way, rather JMS's _"cotton-wool arrangements and soothing melodies" approach offers an easy late night listen. The title, then, hits the nail squarely on the head.

Jim Muir calls himself "a storyteller rather than a rock musician", and that description is also one that rings true. The words are given utmost prominence in the mix, with guitars/bass/keyboards a supplementary, rather than overriding, concern.

The main pitfall of this approach is that Muir's voice bears comparison with Travis' Fran Healy - slowies like 'Take It Easy, Owen Meanie' (!) and 'Anaesthetise Me' sound a little grating as a result. Of course, if you're a fan of the aforementioned Scottish popsters that's less a problem and more a recommendation.

Perhaps the biggest problem, though, is that Jim Muir's stories don't really go anywhere. Nowhere of interest, at least. Lines like "Sometimes London is beautiful", "You might not be as bad as you think you are" and "I ache whenever you are not near" are the most obvious offenders, but there's plenty more where that motley bunch came from.

Two of the album's creators - Jim Muir and keyboard player/co-vocalist Paul Galpin - are both trained doctors, and thus the human condition is a subject that crops up repeatedly. References to "human tissue", "eight long hours under artificial light" and "the district general" knit together a recurring theme but, again, it's just not an especially riveting one. Essentially, doctors and rock 'n' roll don't make good bedfellows.

It's frustrating, because ... And With The Fading Of Light has its moments. 'After The Fireworks Pt. 1', the title track and 'This Is London' both boast pretty memorable choruses - musically speaking - and with the tempo increased the JMS sound more like a band than a GP reading extracts from his diary.

In a nutshell, that's what makes ... And With Fading Of Light an ultimately unsatisfying listen: despite some nice, understated musicianship, there's nothing here to, um, get the blood pumping. Trade the stethoscopes for Stratocasters, perhaps, and then maybe we can talk...

  • 5
    Rob Webb's Score
Log-in to rate this record out of 10
Share on
   
Love DiS? Become a Patron of the site here »


LATEST


  • "We never stopped doing things": DiS Meets The Longcut


  • Jenny Wilson

    Exorcism


  • Mouse on Mars

    Dimensional People


  • DiScover Diron Animal


  • The Damned

    Evil Spirits


  • Slug

    HiggledyPiggledy



Left-arrow

Black Francis

Svn Fngrs

Mobback
33108
31958

The Courteeners at The Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Mon 21 Jan

Mobforward
Right-arrow


LATEST

    Interview


    "We never stopped doing things": DiS Meets The ...

  • 105537
  • review


    Jenny Wilson - Exorcism

  • 105542

    review


    Mouse on Mars - Dimensional People

  • 105541
  • Interview


    DiScover Diron Animal

  • 105539

    review


    The Damned - Evil Spirits

  • 105536
  • review


    Slug - HiggledyPiggledy

  • 105535

    review


    Christina Vantzou - No. 4

  • 105534
  • Column


    The Fangasm: The Midnight Organ Fight by Fright...

  • 105533
MORE


    feature


    A Month in Records: August 2008

  • 33467
  • review


    Coldplay - Ghost Stories

  • 95631

    review


    Bloc Party - Silent Alarm

  • 7335
  • feature


    Cursive - Six Recorded Highlights

  • 45147

    review


    Sonic Youth - Nurse

  • 6044
  • review


    Kate Nash - Made Of Bricks

  • 26283

    DiScover


    DiScover: Friendly Fires

  • 93726
  • news


    DiS curates the #IndependentMusicMonday Playlist

  • 101788
MORE

Drowned in Sound
  • DROWNED IN SOUND
  • HOME
  • SITE MAP
  • NEWS
  • IN DEPTH
  • IN PHOTOS
  • RECORDS
  • RECOMMENDED RECORDS
  • ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
  • FESTIVAL COVERAGE
  • COMMUNITY
  • MUSIC FORUM
  • SOCIAL BOARD
  • REPORT ERRORS
  • CONTACT US
  • JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
  • FOLLOW DiS
  • GOOGLE+
  • FACEBOOK
  • TWITTER
  • SHUFFLER
  • TUMBLR
  • YOUTUBE
  • RSS FEED
  • RSS EMAIL SUBSCRIBE
  • MISC
  • TERM OF USE
  • PRIVACY
  • ADVERTISING
  • OUR WIKIPEDIA
© 2000-2018 DROWNED IN SOUND