Los Campesinos! - We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed (Album)

**mark191082** · 03:48 PM

Having released debut album 'Hold On Now Youngster...' merely 8 months ago this is an unexpected release, though as the band themselves have put it this is no second album not to them anyway but we must all treat it as such because though there is the same spiky way with a tune underneath is a dark undercurrent. Now was this always going to be the case or has the last 8 months had a profound effect on this young bunch from Cardiff.

To emphasise my point there is a group singalong in the title track that recalls the Arcade Fire though seemingly uplifting the lyric goes 'we kid ourselves there's future in the fucking, but there is no fucking future' now this from a band that is still predominantly in the twilight of their teenage years where they still have plenty of a future. Gone are the songs about dancing and the joys of sexual awakenings with the replacement being songs of relationship struggles, teenage jealousy, and generally a feeling that whatever lyricist and chief vocalist Gareth Campesinos! has gone through lately it's been painful and all the joyful tunes and xylophone plinking can't hide it.

Which provides a striking contrast for this album as the music is great it's full of great little moments of hope and smiles and Aleks Campesinos! is the friendly female whispering in your ear that everything will be ok after Gareth has blurted out 'I think it's fair to say that i chose hopelessness' it's like a see-saw of emotions that can't quite manage to tip fully onto either end. But it's all something that we can identify with who won't recognise 'i'm calling you again on your telephone, but all i get is another stupid ringtone' as something that has occured at some-poiint in their lives.

It's not all doom and gloom though with heartfelt slow pluck of 'Heart Swells/Pacific Daylight Time' gently breezing in to calm down the frantic that accompanies most of Los Campesinos! music, it's a rare moment from both their albums where they have slowed down to a crawl to take things in a little more instead of the blur of 100 mile-an-hour music.

'We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed' is an improvement on their previous effort and at this pace who knows what we will get in another 8 months time from Los Campesions! can they keep it up and if so will we be prepared for it? Well i for one look forward to whatever is going to be thrown at me by this band because so far it's all been a joy to behold and i just can't get enough xylophone in my life!

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lina-riot · Comment Posted on: October 14, 2008, 03:05 AM

Ahhhhhh I absolutely LOVE los campesinos! This is only available on download right now, right? They've had to push back the release date of CD/vinyl as the artwork isn't done yet or something. I bloody love their album/poster artwork though, so it's worth the wait.

The few songs I've heard so far to me are outstandingly better than "hold on now youngster..", and I thought those were good as it were.

'Ways to make it through the wall' is absolutely addictive, I have to stop myself from listening to it on repeat. Like with most LC! songs, random one liners just grab you out of nowhere and make you think how brilliant and utterly (and dismally!) perceptive it is. I like the line "In theory and in practice I identify my starsign by asking which is least copatible with yours". Ha ha. And how could you possibly not laugh out loud to Gareth saying, "You said he's got his teeth fixed, I'm gonna break them!" (WAB, WAD) in his passive aggressive slightly camp way. Just brilliant.

Doom and gloom has never so exciting. I'm so jealous you got to review this album, but I like your review

mark191082 · Comment Posted on: October 14, 2008, 08:49 AM

Thanks glad you likey.

I do believe the album is out on the 27th and it's a limited CD of 1 run so when it's gone it's gone but it has a DVD and magazine and poster so it's looking a sweet little package.

I am like yourself it's so hard to stop listening to the album it really gets into your head just by being so damn catchy and like you say full of the most quotable lyrics that just appear out of nowhere. I hope i can get to see them live.

lina-riot · Comment Posted on: October 14, 2008, 03:21 PM

I'm hopefully seeing them on Monday, haven't got a ticket yet but i think i might actually die if I don't, haha.

fozzrock · Comment Posted on: October 16, 2008, 09:52 AM

Damn I loved the first album so much , I have to pre-order this NOW !!!
I went to HMV and asked for it thinking it was out last month- poor guy at the till had never seen such a sad face when informing me it was out in late October !

Great review !

lina-riot · Comment Posted on: October 16, 2008, 01:51 PM

Haha, I know the suspense is killing me! We're so impatient, considering it's only been 8 months since the last album, haha..

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> Home > Reviews | Los Campesinos! - We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed (Album)

Los Campesinos! - We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed (Album)

Wichita Recordings

October 12, 2008, 01:56 PM

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""I will come at you like an angry badger""

"As cool as Kim Deal"

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""I will come at you like an angry badger""

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"As cool as Kim Deal"

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"As cool as Kim Deal"

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