Songs of Innocence - U2

May I just temper this review with the information that I have always loved and adored U2. During my formative years, they taught me about the world outside of my reach. The Joshua Tree needs no introduction and driving through the Mojave Desert with the opening bars of 'Where the Streets have no Name' pouring out of the radio like liquid gold, will live with me forever.

Then came the powerhouse of Achtung Baby, the necessary change of direction with its Eastern bloc allure and masterful craftsmanship. Zooropa, once again took the band in another more dance-driven direction, blowing my mind in the process and this avenue was further explored on 1997's Pop. Just when you thought the band were out of steam, they deliver an Eastern-fused classic in the form of No Line on the Horizon, proving that U2 can still be relevant in today's saturated market.

And I guess that is the expectation from a band so renowned for defying genre, yet managing to remain true to themselves. Unfortunately, Songs of Innocence does not live up to its predecessors in any way, shape or form. That is not to say, it is a bad album, yet by this band's high standards, it flatters to deceive.

The album begins with the quintessential U2 stadium rocker a la Vertigo, Beautiful Day and Elevation. However 'The Miracle of Joey Ramone' lacks the power and memorability we have come to expect. The verse weaves it's way to a weak chorus and the track feels like it never really gets out of third gear. 

'Every Breaking Wave' is a mid-paced brooder, borrowing heavily from The Joshua Tree's 'With or Without You.' A good song but again despite several listens and much good will, it never reaches its full potential.

The same could easily be said for 'Song for Someone' which is the traditional U2 ballad, but again fails to make the emotional impression of say 'One' or 'Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own.'

Two of the albums stronger tracks are 'Iris' and 'Volcano.' The former again dipping into the trusty formula of Edge's ringing guitar and the rhythm section as always do themselves proud. However Bono's monotone vocal and the endless 'woo-oo-ing' in the chorus, leave a fairly unsatisfying taste in the mouth.
'Volcano' feels like it could be from 'War' or a B-side from an early Concrete Blonde album. A mid-paced grower that explodes into life in the coda with the line, 'You are rock n'roll' and it is this that typifies the issues with 'Songs of Innocence' for me because it is not really rock n' roll. If it is, its the safe version you play in your car when your Mum is in the passenger seat. 

U2 rely heavily on the successes of the past with this record, borrowing and rehashing the groundbreaking sounds that made them what they are. However on this revisit, U2 are no longer defying the odds or indeed, breaking new ground. 

It felt for me, a lifelong fan of the band, like watching a film you loved when you were a kid again. There was excitement, anticipation a real desire for it to be as good as it was the first time around. However, by the end you wonder why you made all the fuss in the first place.

To it's credit it is tightly produced by Dangermouse. Sadly, Penfold's tactical vision appears to be missing. 'Cedarwood Road' is a move away from the archetypal 'U2 sound' and is a fairly satisfying rocky dirge and the album ends with 'The Troubles' a Lana Del Rey-esque soul tune, that dare I say it, lacks any real soul. 

It was a tricky one to write for me this, as I feel like I have just sold out my brother for stealing food to feed me. U2 were the band that defined my formative years and I will always thank them for that. But like Frank Lampard scoring Man City's equaliser against his beloved Chelsea, this U2 album feels like a bit of an own goal. 

Get Hurt - The Gaslight Anthem

The Gaslight Anthem maintain and even augment their status as America's rock n' roll darlings with perhaps their finest album to date. 

This is indeed high praise as it is hardly as if they have been sitting on their laurels during their ten year career. Sink or Swim burst onto the scene with it's raw, punky sound. This was followed by seminal LP The '59 Sound, which won the hearts and minds of a majority of listeners. American Slang continued in much the same vein, while Handwritten was brilliant at times and less memorable in parts also. One thematic trend that has underpinned the Anthem, has been their pointedly american sound and the continuation of the Jersey-style, gritty rock n'roll. For the die-hard fans, this theme remains, albeit in a slightly more diluted format than previous offerings. 

The talk before release (and there was a lot of it), was that the band was trying something new, sonically/musically etc. 'See this band do things they have never done before!' read one e-mail that hit the inbox before it's release; I am still unsure of what it is they mean. The music is slightly different in parts, yet in all honesty, this is clearly still The Gaslight Anthem and what the fans love about them.

The album opens with the raw, brooding 'Stay Vicious' which although is a little heavier and darker than usual, retains a lot of integral Gaslight qualities. Not least, the lyrics where Brian Fallon roars out, 'the arms that used to hold me, well now they have done me harm.' This is the underlying theme of this record; lost love, betrayal and indeed pain. We are of course talking about an album entitled Get Hurt where the front cover depicts a large inverted heart. 

Something is most certainly amiss in the world of GTA, as we begin to learn quickly. In case the listener was in any doubt, Fallon continues, 'I feel just like a murder, I feel just like a gun, I have been shaking in the hands of somebody who has finally had enough.' They say despair breeds creativity, with this album, I have to concur. 

The powerful verse bleeds into a stripped down beautiful chorus where Fallon whispers, 'your black heels kick out the beat of my heart in perfect time.' This is a man who has indeed got hurt and as much as I wish Brian Fallon all the best, the music has been fuel-injected as a consequence.

'1000 Years' is another mid-paced rocky number that keeps the energy of the album up, containing a beautiful refrain and a better chorus. 

The pace of the album changes, however the tone remains the same with title track, 'Get Hurt.' A pioneering ballad that explodes into life where Fallon explains, 'I came to get hurt, might as well do your worst to me,' a shot perhaps at the lover who has ended his relationship. 

The pace returns with another highlight, 'Stray Paper,' which commences with Fallon screaming, 'You better never tell nobody but God, all the things I have seen.' The pattern is indeed emerging of the wounded lovelorn balladeer and this album is his cathartic response. Fallon however is not holding back, where on 2012's Handwritten, he sang about 'too much blood on the page,' this time he spits, 'all my love becomes blood on stray paper.' How times have changed. 

The direct approach continues on 'Rollin' And Tumblin' another foot-stomping corker, where the singer discusses his subject's friends, 'I heard that they been calling me the Great Depression...' A clear, reference to the Economic Downturn when the Stock Market crashed in 1929. He continues the self-deprecating tone and cyclical pattern of the lyrics at the end of the song, where he concludes, ' I hope you got all my letters, signed the Great Depression.' A nod to the misery and depression, he has been labelled with exuding. 

'Red Violins,' 'Selected Poems' and Ain't that a Shame' are solid, rocky album tracks. 'Red Violins' is a grower despite being one of the least exciting songs on the album and 'Aint That A Shame' contains the immortal line, 'I am vicious now honey, cruel and insatiable,' another response to the ever-present theme of the album and the despair the listener is privy to.

'Break your Heart' is the standard Gaslight ballad and does not disappoint  but the album sparks back into life with closer, 'Dark Places.' The final ode to the love he has lost, Fallon delves deep into the heart of the relationship and muses over a powerful,  harmonized sound why it all wrong.

'How many nights did I crash against the waves?' He asks, before digressing, 'I changed and changed and kept on saying, one of these days something inside is going to break.' Perhaps this is a final paean to his love, perhaps he is sounding it's death knell. Either way the album ends on a blistering, emotive high.

Get Hurt, is a powerhouse of songwriting and lyrical brilliance. Just when you think a band have reached the end of the line, as Brian says himself, he didn't think there were any more Gaslight songs, there are and they sound better than ever.

This album is the sound of a boxer up against the ropes, taking the hits and giving their best shots back.  Luckily for music fans the boxer happens to be possibly the greatest songwriter of our generation and the shots hit their target every time. 

Long live The Gaslight Anthem, they have done it again! 

     

The rise of British Sea Power - Folkestone Quarterhouse April 18th

In a market becoming increasingly difficult to retain autonomy, British Sea Power do just that with flair and guile. The band's thirteenth show in fourteen days, saw them make a triumphant visit to the Kentish harbour town of Folkestone and was a major success for a number of reasons. Firstly they confirmed for me (and the number of hardcore fans that made the journey) that they truly are architects of their own destiny. There is no subterfuge, no radio friendly unit shifters in this set. The Power do as they please, whether it's Sigur Ros-esque emotive balladeering or teasing the crowd with quasi-threats of quitting; they own the stage and captivate their crowd.
It was also a success as not many bands come to Folkestone these days. East is east after all and if the visit is made, it is usually to the Leas Cliff Hall. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but the Quarterhouse is a splendid venue which deserves greater recognition. Modern and compact, oozing out pink neon and is testament to the ongoing regeneration in the local area. The venue though small, exhibited excellent sound quality and was able to handle BSP's notoriously impressive live display.They are after all, a group at the peak of their powers and enjoying every moment.

The group's performance is not so much an assault on the senses but a rekindling of them. Olive trees glimmer with fairy lights as archaic images flash in front of you. In some respects, you feel like you could be in a Sicilian orange grove sipping on a limoncello, such is the grace of the stage show.
This is typified by the slowburning, instrumental opener 'Heavenly Waters' that ebbs and flows into a confident crescendo of guitar, drums et al. The band continue to glide through their set with aplomb. These are master craftsmen after all, steering the way through old classics such as 'It Ended on an Oily Stage' and 'Carrion' while also playing newer offerings such as the mid-paced 'Machineries of Joy' and 'Zeus.'

The set reaches a heady climax during the foot-stomping 'Remember Me' and pro-immigration sing along 'Waving Flags' then again changing pace for a powerful rendition of 'The Great Skua.' Before you know it, the band are off and saying their goodbyes and the intense following has fizzed into life, demanding more. And more is what you get at a British Sea Power gig. More tunes, more chanting and more...bears. That's right folks, before the crowd have time to lay eyes on the intense finale the Wilkinson brothers are offering up, Ursine ultra, an 8 foot black bear, is making his way though the crowd and towards us with surprising speed. He is accompanied by a smaller, yet still impressive polar bear much to the delight of the pogo-ing, elated crowd around me. I was just thankful I was sober as panic may well have set in had a whiff of the barmaid's apron been taken.
All that we had time for was a visceral version of 'No Lucifer' and Jan Wilkinson throwing himself into the crowd to be ably surfed to the back of the Quarterhouse auditorium and carefully returned, before the band were linking arms and bowing to the grateful crowd at the end of another successful show and tour.
If you haven't seen British Sea Power, I highly recommend it. As a band they represent traditional British quirkiness and are at the peak of their powers, Even if they are not your particular cup of earl grey, where else in Britain would you find yourself dancing with an 8 foot black bear on a Saturday evening?