Wednesday 28 July 2010

always quiet now.

Flaws - Bombay Bicycle Club

lovely, lovely, lovely.

It is an incredible testament to these lads that, only a year after releasing a relatively heavy, electric guitar based, indie rock album as their debut, 'I had the blues but I shook them loose', they bring out as stunningly delicate an acoustic record as 'Flaws.' All the songs are new ones or covers except for a new version of 'Dust on the Ground', which has had a makeover from brooding rock to an acoustic strum. Both versions are equally good.

I think BBC were a little worried of looking like they were just jumping on the - now incredibly popular - 'Mumford folky' bandwagon, but any suspicions as to this would have been dispelled upon listening to this album, I'm sure. It's beautifully, beautifully fragile; an adjective which I wouldn't attribute to Mumford's hoedown-inducing country stuff.

Well done BBC.. I look forward to their next "loud" album, but it's brilliant to have this contrast. I can't think of any other band who have done this sort of 'strip back' for a second album and have pulled it off. (But feel free to rinse me in a comment if you can think of any, I won't be offended if you prove me wrong!)

A few faves: Rinse me down, Ivy & Gold, Dust on the Ground, Fairytale Lullaby, Leaving Blues.

Here's the acoustic 'Dust on the Ground.'


It was hard to choose which song to post... I decided on this one because of the classic beginning: "Hello.. We are Bombay Bicycle Club... We're in Highbury Fields, standing next to a sanitary towel."

Even if you can't be arsed to watch the whole video.. Just watch the first 17 seconds. They're funny... And look at their sweet little faces... aaah, Jack Steadman. Be mine?

3 comments:

  1. Sweet! I'm being serious when I say I just BARELY downloaded this musically delicious band. Nice blog too. Excited to be your newest follower. :)

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  2. i love bombay bicycle club (: such intense vocals.
    it's about time they got some proper recognition.
    but i think 'always like this' has probably got them the attention they deserve.

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