Logo
DiS Needs You: Save our site »
  • Jenny Wilson - Exorcism about 8 hours ago
  • Mouse on Mars - Dimensional People about 8 hours ago
  • DiScover Diron Animal about 14 hours ago
  • The Damned - Evil Spirits 3 days ago
  • Slug - HiggledyPiggledy 3 days ago
  • Christina Vantzou - No. 4 5 days ago
  • The Fangasm: The Midnight Organ Fight by Frightened Rabbit 5 days ago
  • Laura Veirs - The Lookout 6 days ago
  • Logo_home2
  • Records
  • In Depth
  • In Photos
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Search
  • Community
  • Records
  • In Depth
  • Blog
  • Community

Papa November

From The Start Line

Label: Bearos Release Date: 03/03/2003

3403
arobbins by Andy Robbins March 5th, 2003

While it may not rival Dylan’s electrification in terms of shock value or reaction, the release of Papa November’s debut album certainly sees Birmingham’s Bearos Records take a step further from it’s roots, yet while maintaining the unmistakable hallmark of quality. After dipping its toe in the worlds of post-rock, lo-fi, folk and the avant-garde, ‘From The Start Line’ witnesses Bearos embrace a much smoother groove.

Katy Acquaye-Tonge’s soulful vocals are rich with vibrancy and, while it may not be entirely accurate to compare them to the contributions of Shara Nelson to early Massive Attack or those of Martine Topley-Bird on Tricky’s ‘Maxinquaye’, it is slightly nearer the truth than whispering her name in the same breath as Siouxsie Sioux or the Cheeky Girls.

The dark experimentation within Stuart Tonge’s deconstructed hip-hop beats and crackling samples gives the sound impressive depth that a pigeonhole would struggle to contain. ‘Walking’ and ‘Lost Time’ wouldn’t sound out of place on DJ Shadow’s benchmark ‘Endtroducing’, while ‘People’s Minds’ and ‘Small Room’ offer the faintest of winks towards Portishead without helping itself to the contents of its purse in the process.

There are even trace elements of Boards of Canada’s brooding electronics across the album, with ghostly reversing voices and haunting atmospherics more at home on abandoned airfields than in comfortable lounge bars or sweaty clubs.

In a timely piece of lyricism that can’t have been placed without consciousness, the words, “I won’t be distracted by tradition, nor be embarrassed. The costs are too high,” brings not only the record to a close, but comes nearer to trapping the elusive Papa November sound than a million metaphors and comparisons ever could.

There are most likely a few people who’ve waited a long time for this record since the duo’s 1999 debut release on Static Caravan, but no doubt they’ll be glad they stayed the course when they hear it.

  • 8
    Andy Robbins's Score
Log-in to rate this record out of 10
Share on
   
Love DiS? Become a Patron of the site here »


LATEST


  • Jenny Wilson

    Exorcism


  • Mouse on Mars

    Dimensional People


  • DiScover Diron Animal


  • The Damned

    Evil Spirits


  • Slug

    HiggledyPiggledy


  • Christina Vantzou

    No. 4



Left-arrow

Stone Sour, Saliva, Winnebago Deal at Astoria, London, Wed 26 Feb

Mobback
3365

The Vines at Camden Electric Ballroom, Camden, Thu 19 Feb

Mobforward
Right-arrow


LATEST

    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
  • review


    Laura Veirs - The Lookout

  • 105532
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