Staff Reviews

Animal Kingdom - Signs and Wonders

Review by Simon Jay Catling

Coldplay, derided in some quarters though they may be, have hooks. They know where the demographic-embracing points are in their songs; the bits where people will sing along, or raise their phones in the air. Animal Kingdom want but have none of this.»

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animal kingdom follow the limited edition singles 'chalk stars' and 'tin man' with the release of their debut album 'signs and wonders' on warner bros records. recorded at seattle's electrokitty studios with phil ek (fleet foxes, the shins, les savy fav), the melancholy 'signs and wonders' finds the london quartet countering immediate pop hooks with unpredictable arrangements and a dark, reflective soul. developed over a six week period, 'signs and wonders' includes the delicately crafted, emotive pop of the debut single 'chalk stars', the dreamy, infectious hook that gives the lovelorn 'tin man' an otherworldly atmosphere and the eerie flow of 'two by two' that features sauberlich's vocals floating in the ether like the voice of an imaginary friend. the album is also rich on versatility; the likes of 'good morning', 'silence summons you' and 'into the sea' share a cohesive, cinematic atmosphere but each song represents a unique statement. animal kingdom could be loosely compared to the likes of mercury rev, the cure, the flaming lips, smashing pumpkins and grandaddy, but they remain a proposition in which their own individual sound shines through.
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