the departure - dirty words
trust me, there is going to be a lot of hate directed this album and band.
the combination of forming just over a year ago, getting signed to emi (secured via some job placement scheme according to one message board rumour, as if this is a bad thing, umm hello, welcome to the future, use your initiative, more power to those that push all the options in order to get that desired result), managing to secure steve osbourne and alan moulder to sort out the button pressing across the whole album for production and mixing, and in the process, achieve several hit singles before reaching your second decade on the planet. oh yes, all the above, and the associated skinny ties, oh so trendy unkempt haircuts, tours with the original postpunkfunk scene figure heads (gang of four), and beautifully designed record sleeves.
surely this youthful band exemplify all that is wrong with the major record label games and manipulations?
so, why after having this in the pile now for a few months, do i still keep coming back to this 10 track, 40 minute dilution of all that is a little punky and a little funky? why do i smile and sing along when this is blasting out of the car stereo? why do i know more of these choruses and bridges than any other current release? perhaps it's due to the urgent guitar lines, the vibrant beats, the punchy bass lines, the distinctive vocal performances, or it it simply because the songs are so damn fucking good.
yes, it may be painfully obvious that this is a large budget branding stab at following in the footsteps of franz ferdinand, bloc party, the bravery, et al, but hey, if a label has the choice of releasing records that sound as exciting as the departure have managed, or creating yet another 4 boys in white suits harmonising over some studio dross muzak with their slice of the investment budget - then as far as i'm concerned there is no contest. give me this early u2, psychedelic furs rip off every time.
the well known classics of the last 12 months give all the stylistic pointers for the new tracks, 'all mapped out', 'lump in my throat' and 'be my enemy', are rattled off with their established brand of eighties gothic drama and big passion as well as bringing several more future faves into the equation ('only human' having more of that dual vocal interplay that i love so much). so, with a dash of masterly modern studio whizz bang, the combined efforts of the young'uns and the experienced back room boys have managed to keep this album tight, focussed and in your mascara'd face.
basically, the album sounds fantastic.
admittedly, they rip into the guitar styles of the edge (all that echo/reverb and clipping goes a long way throughout the album) to the point of excess, and, i will concur that lyrically the band are still at that 'getting a girl at the disco' stages, but then again who isn't when the hormones are rushing to excess and they have crafted such a fine debut album.
so, i can easily side step these slight hiccups, as well as knowing that in 12 months when the band try to diversify their sound and fail, i will just dig out this and once more get on down to the noise of 2005
now, that's what i call entertainment!
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