- Artists:
- Bombay Bicycle Club »
- Label:
- Island »
So, they’re very young. This is the ‘thing’ about Bombay Bicycle Club, their Big Deal. Formed as toddlers on the eve of the ‘New Rock Revolution’; lost their first milk teeth the day Silent Alarm was released; can scarcely remember how the world functioned before Spotify; naïvely named after a poncey London takeaway curry chain. One of these statements is true, and it’s the least interesting of the four.
BBC have a recurring problem with choosing this path of least interest. Their tentative debut moseys tastefully around credible indie influences, creating listless moods and excelling at not offending. ‘Mature’ some would say. I’m going with ‘extremely dull’. Jack Steadman’s voice is going be the dealbreaker for most. He bleats and purrs like some drunken cat over maudlin hassled guitar strings. Imagine Clap Your Hand Say Yeah’s Alec Ounsworth doing Fine Young Cannibals karaoke. Then surgically extract all the humour from that picture.
Instrumental opener 'Emergency Contraception Blues' brings woozy bluster and assured surfy guitars before ‘Lamplight’ introduces Steadman’s shit-eating vocals and the first trace of an Interpol influence. It returns, glaringly, on 'Dust On The Ground'. Crisp drums underpin a probing guitar line perched on another playing stern rhythm. But instead of evoking Interpol’s sterile austerity, visions of Brutalist skylines, it sounds plain, meek, suburban.
“I am ready to owe you anything” offers Steadman weedily on what should be the triumphant chorus to ‘Evening / Morning’. His lyrics are like a series of un-posted letters to unrequited crushes, and on ‘Cancel On Me’ he seems to be gently whingeing at a flaky lover for reneging on dates. It’s just as thrilling as it sounds. There’s no way out of this tedium, no single moment of catharsis.
‘Ghost’ is painfully uninspired, plodding around the same flat sections with instrumental monotony no less risible than Scouting For Girls’ never-ending “She’s so luv-er-ly” lyrical Holocausts. I’m reminded oddly of the first wave of post-rock influenced minor British bands, early Aereogramme or Seafood. Chords sometimes venture towards atonality but there’s a tiring inscrutability to the whole album. Everything resolves, songs are sealed hermetically tight. With production that’s an off-putting mix of artificial warmth and clinical precision, there’s no room for exploration.
There’s a likable lightness of touch to single ‘Always Like This’, raising the game slightly, and it’s followed by ‘Magnet’ which escapes its wannabe anthem template to mutate into an underwater trip hop variant of itself. Surprisingly this is one of the best moments here, and it’s one of the only times Bombay Bicycle Club seem to be taking any chances.
Bombay Bicycle Club. BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB! That name! I can’t get past it. It’s like calling your band ‘Pizza Express’! So safe, so smug. Youth shouldn’t be an excuse for their mis-steps. On the contrary, it’s worth questioning why BBC are so happy being merely competent. Late Of The Pier, roughly the same age, released a fantastic mess of a record last year, proving that young bands are capable of looking beyond a rote list of guitary influences. If you really want to labour the point, Paul Westerberg was 21 when the Replacements released Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash, Ari Up was 17 when the Slits made Cut.
Not every album can be a Cut, but what’s disappointing is the impression that BBC haven’t pushed beyond reverently, capably reproducing the tricks of their favourite bands. I Had The Blues... totally lacks bile, humour, invention, or adrenaline. Its creators have scarcely hit 20. What gives? This is duvet music, offering vague comfort but impossible to feel any excitement for.
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I really rate this band
so I'm going to have to completely disagree, I think they're one of the most promising bands out there and Jack Steadman is definitely one of the strongest songwriters. The only reservation I have with this album is that as a standalone it's not the best representation of the band; you really need to hear the EPs, for songs like Open House, Pedestal, Maybe More, and better versions of The Hill. But yeah the slightly lukewarm reception to this album baffles me because I think they're an incredible band. They definitely warrant seeing live and investigating past this album.
And this was a terrible review, from the very first line.. it touched on (and then painfully dwelled on) all the same points that the journalist who writes for the Metro did, and that's not really what I come onto DiS hoping for.
having only heard the current single i deduced
them to be a poor mans Editors, who in turn are a poor mans Interpol.
This is not good
hmm
I bought this last night on a whim and am yet to listen to them (other than hearing 'Always Like This' a few times - which I enjoyed). Am hoping I like it more than the reveiwer!
completely disagree with this review
was disappointed there wasn't so much new material on the record, but to imply they're a poor man's Interpol doesn't fit, for me. BBC are one of those bands with quite a subtle power, and the problem, it seems, is the name, and the youth, and the "idea" are too much for the reviewer to get over, to appreciate the record.
it's full of lovely little melodies, and lush distortion, and occasionally naive, but endearingly heartfelt lyrics.
Ouch!
That's very scathing, but it makes me want to listen to it to see if it's right. Can't remember that many songs by them off hand but don't remember thinking it was THAT bad.
get it right;
they're a poor man's White Lies who in turn are a poor man's Editors who in turn are a poor man's Interpol, who in turn are a poor man's...
Yes, I like the review
except that I'm - probably - gonna be in disagreement: I have their ep (somewhere) and I like it. So I'm gonna get this record anyway. BBC aren't complicated or challenging, but they do a nice jangly pop...
I agree with Navajo
I saw them play at The Garage the other day and I still really love the old songs like The Hill and How are we. I bought the album and was a bit annoyed more of the old stuff wasn't on there because like Navajo says, the first 2 EPs really are great examples of Steadman's beautiful words and this has been slightly diluted on the new album. I do agree with the name thing though, I do find their name completely charmless because there's nothing original about it
This is excellent \/
"Imagine Clap Your Hand Say Yeah’s Alec Ounsworth doing Fine Young Cannibals karaoke. Then surgically extract all the humour from that picture."
That's what I thought! There's potential in this band and they sound nice enough, - but 'Nice' is so insignificant and unappealing. Did anyone say bedwetters?
Referencing A Tribe Called Quest
in the album title = never to be labelled bedwetters! And for every moment of sensitivity there's a moment of fun like the little addition to the end of Ghost and the harder section in Cancel On Me. I think it's only his singing style that provokes that comment but for me the singing style elevates the songs and makes them a lot more affecting than had they been sung by your average British singer.
Bombay Bicycle Club for the win.
wrong
their music has touched me quite a lot. really inspiring.
I have enjoyed a lot of bits
to this album, but there's a lot of insubstantial fey prettiness inbetween them that doesn't engage me enough. There are some lovely chord progressions, tones and vocal phrasings but not across the whole set of songs thoroughly enough to make it exciting.
There's nothing too tough about A Tribe Called Quest though - that whole Native Tongue thing - flower power hip hop?
No Power.
MAYYORS for the win.
GxMx
p.s.
this DiS review is horrible - I am not agreeing with how many of the sentiments are expressed, just that one description is funny and quite apt. A lot of this - subjective opinion or otherwise - is just wrong.
i think its a solid
7 at least maybe an 8. great album, very promising young band.
I also would have given it a 7 or 8
This is an example of one reviewers opinion, which is wrong.
yeah
this is one of the worst reviews i think i've ever read.
How is it one of the worst reviews you've ever read?
Seriously. Fans of landfill indie are an oddly histrionic bunch.
is DiS trying to be another VICE with this review?
christ. what is up, man. there is seriously some hatred going on in that review. its too meaninglessly harsh, ages-ist, full of cliched elitism. and in the first place, where did the whole interpol reference came from? i cannot detect the slightest bit of interpol and i dont think the band intended to be epic anyway.
this is melodious, pretty pop with quivering vocals and it aint THAT bad.
"totally lacks bile, humour, invention, or adrenaline"
Nail on Head.
Because this is a decent band
who deserve better than a reviewer who's obviously been handed the album, wikipedia'd them, gone 'omg theyre young!', 'omg theyre named after a curry house!', 'omg! i can shoehorn an unnecessary Interpol reference in because the singer had a mildly low singing voice' and rubbed his hands together with glee.
Thom Gibbs...
you've been told.
Or, maybe, y'know...he just thought the record was...
...a bit shit? It's a distinct possibility, I'd say.
I really like Bombay Bicycle Club
but I agree that the album is pretty poor and very disappointing - it certainly does not live up to the promise of their early stuff ... I put this down mainly to Jim Abbiss' awful production - they never sounded a bit like Editors/Interpol before he got involved, more like Television/The Smiths ... I sense the hand of a major record company looking for a radio-friendly sound ... shame
This is the sort of opinion
You'd find in the bottom of a wheelie bin.
Agreed MattnStuff
And Navajo hit it right on the head with his comment! Before Editors and Interpol clearly no one ever sang with a relatively deep voice except Joy Division, therefore they must be trying to replicate all three bands.
It happened when people heard 'No Kind Words' by Maccabees aswell.
I love Always Like This, The Hill, Autumn and Dust On The Ground
im 20 next tuesday
and if i were to record an album today itd would definately be much more original. people my age listen to shit music, therefore the lucky ones to score a record do a shit job. also the uk has been bombared with the worst bands i have ever heard in the past 8 years. these guys are just a rebound of all this bad shitty trendy music because they never knew any better, a fucking bore. move to america mate, move to portland or something... actually im wrong Glasgow has amazing bands, blame london, reading and leeds festivals and the nme luuulzz, fuck this
In My Opinion
You've written one of worst reviews to grace DIS, the latter part of the review didn't address the album whatsoever and focused on the bands choice of name, who the fuck cares? Bombay Bicycle Club are an amazing band, regardless of age and I believe Jim Abbiss' production on the album is just fine, the album soars and swoops and sounds huge in places but still manages to be reined in for the more intimate, minimal moments.
And just looking at some of the comments, 'poor-mans Editors', 'poor-mans White Lies', what the fuck is this 'poor-mans' saying? As far as I am aware the price of a CD is the same across the board and Editors debut is sitting in some bargain bit somewhere so who's the poor man now? I also saw a comment saying that a major record label had a hand in the albums sound; well if you had bothered to do your research you would find the album was funded by their management and completed before they signed to Island, so fuck that.
So now you've rated Bombay, let's rate your review and maybe you as a person. At times your review went on strange tangents, finished off by talking about the band’s name and then the ages of other musicians. You then used description like 'shit-eating' for vocals which makes no sense, lets presume you wrote it in there for humour but that comment, along with the Pizza Express comment "surgically extracted all the humour" from the review, at least before we could laugh at you. 2/10
Now you as a person, I took the liberty of going through your twitter and I don’t know how you can justify giving Bombay 4/10 when you listen to the Sonic The Hedgehog theme tune along with Metallica, that, IN MY OPINION, makes you a shit person. BUT not to worry, you’ve still got your humour to get you through this, I’m sure your “Lucy On The Skype With Diamonds” comment got many a laugh.
Thom Gibbs = 2/10
Woodytom = 1/10.
Confused teenager upset that one of the bands he likes isn't loved by everyone. Probably needs to get laid.
HEY TOM!
Don't let it upset you, yeah? Don't let the bastards grind you down, yeah?
awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
can we keep him?
disagree with the review
However I can see where it falls, but I still think they went for an ambitious sound on the album and just because of Jacks change in tone for 'dust on the ground' all these white lies/editors ref are just a bit silly!
They are a lot more personal and fragile to be sectioned with that guff
Lesson one:
Saying that a subjective opinion is wrong is a fatally flawed criticism.
Guess I should have a listen to this album then...
"Paul Westerberg was 21
when the Replacements released Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash"
Wilson and McCartney were still 23 when work on Pet Sounds and Revolver was finished.
This album is OK, it's like a flaccid penis though in that as nice as it maybe it's not as great as it could be.
wtf MitchellStirling?
this album is a 6 at the least, 7 more likely. This is an objectively bad review :p
Was sort of debating in the pub why fans of such mediocre bands
as BBC get so angry and personal about criticism - think probably it boils down to the fact that if you accept the music you believe in/love is fundamentally conveyor belt stuff, then you're probably accepting something awful about yourself. So you respond with denial. Denial and ratings of the the reviewer out of 10. Which is funny, so keep it up.
The albums not really any good, probably a 5/10...
But this reviewer does sound as if he's increasingly jealous of youth.
ABC BBC bbd the east coast family
check the Another Bad Creation reference wiggass... that trumps all over your lame Tribe Called Quest ref. Ok... so... Bombay Bicycle Club in addition to having one of the worst band names of all time, seriously dudes it's about as cool as a lit vindaloo fart or a Katie Melua song (there are 5 million samosas in bombay. that's a fact. I looked it up).. yes in addition to having one of the worst names and gheyest acronyms of all time (BBC dudez like the Station bro.. like the Corporation fams.. fareal homies!!!) yes in addition to having one of the worst names and acronymz of all times, they have released an album of warbly trebly wavering pussy poprock that is like Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20 bounding on stage during an Editor's cover band at the junior high disco while someone's Sonic Youth ringtone is ringing or somethin.. it's bad. I feel bad bad for these boys cos I live in their neighbourhood and realise it must be tough growing up on the mean streets of crouch end ghetto ya heard.. it must be tough finding your nuts and writing any songs of consequence when you are surrounded by woods and parkland and a bunch of woody inspiring yummy mommies pushing around 300 pound strollers and pulling pedigree puppies but having privileged upbringings is no excuse for plopping out such a reedy tuneless sacless (testeless) and dickless pussyfart of an album. the strokes (who btw SUCK.. anybody still pumping Juicebox fer focks sake?) went to swiss finishing school and they still know (knew) how to write a sweet pop rager even if they peaked with the Modern Age EP. anyway guys do some drugs and go back to the drawing board.. PUH LEEZ. ps the holloways are worse than cancer
we never left them
people who would rather listen to say "evening/morning" instead of say "summertime clothes" are basically subhumans who need to listen to pablum crap like BBC because if they listen to something good like animal corrective or the honeydrips it chafes against their tedious loser souls and that chafing HURTS boy it HOITS. so they listen to mealy mouthed music made out of sticks and small dick frustration, marry a plain jane and become a dickless dad.. seriously why don't you just kill yourself now homeo. nice name dicknard, betting your 'lips' are about as 'vicious' as a elderly nuns poontang that's just been rubbed all over with Some Kind Of Tranquillizer Anaesthetic.. in other words you're a paralyzed twat with a tin ear
it's a tidy record
this is not a youthful sounding band and i can see why someone would be put off by them expecting that. They sound nothing like white lies, interpol or editors on the majority of the record. it's sombre but without the tension. it's like dark electric folk. it's done rather well and is an easy listen without being bland. Always Like This is a bit baggy and definitely my favorite track from the album but none of the singles really represent the album or the band as a whole.
it's a tidy record
this is not a youthful sounding band and i can see why someone would be put off by them expecting that. They sound nothing like white lies, interpol or editors on the majority of the record. it's sombre but without the tension. it's like dark electric folk. it's done rather well and is an easy listen without being bland. Always Like This is a bit baggy and definitely my favorite track from the album but none of the singles really represent the album or the band as a whole.
blaaaady ell!
the review is well written. it's one sodding opinion ffs. are these comments spaces meant for criticising largely unpaid, hard-working writers or for sharing viewpoints on the music (you know, the important bit)?
disagree with the writer's opinion, by all means, but don't jump on him/her. if you think you can do better, prove it. i'm sure Andrzej could do with your enlightening input.
*braces himself*
G
...
"This album is OK, it's like a flaccid penis though in that as nice as it maybe it's not as great as it could be."
Incredible, both for its appreciation of flaccid penises and it's backhanded trashing.
MitchellStirling needs employment, NOW.
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