 If there's one thing you could say about Broken Records it would have to be that they most certainly don't lack ambition as one listen to this, their debut long-player shows. There's a tremendous scope that in truth they maybe struggle a little to contain and hone down as 'Until The Earth Begins To Part' is very much a colossal album; jam-packed with as many strings, horns, and just about any other musical instrument they probably had to hand.
Now personally I really am quite fond of the album as for all it's drawbacks there is an equal measure of positives to take away and opener 'Nearly Home' is the perfect example of this. It sums up the album quite nicely, it's a track that is just full to the brim with stuff going on and your head will begin to spin as you try to focus in on just what is, in fact going on. This is a flaw that you really shouldn't be having to toy with but then again once you get into it and get your head around it the track is a melange of ideas that are equal part beauty and melancholy. As the slow build gives way to a rather haunting string laden section with vocals eloquently draped atop giving the foreboding sense of beginning "lets lay these bones to rest / build it all over and start again". The track just builds and builds with crashing drums like waves mingling with starry night chimes and almost sleigh bell-like ringing before the break arrives to slow us all before the crashing crescendo. It's a stirring beginning and is very reminiscent of say Arcade Fire in it's relentless march to something seemingly unattainable.
Yet we are then give a sleight of hand as mournful strings lead us into what is clearly a funeral march; or is it, as eventually the bass thuds in alongside booming trumpets, this is 'If The News Makes You Sad, Don't Watch It'. A track that leads us to believe that Broken Records are going to be an orchestrated version of The Cure and oh, if that were only to be the case. The title track continues to lead us down this misleading path giving us quite an upbeat tempo and some equally uplifting lyrics "and say you will forever hold my heart / until the earth begins to part" it's a wonderfully coy moment of hope nestled snuggly at the beginning of the album to fool us.
Unfortunately we are then treated to a rather maudlin piano ballad in 'A Promise' which is quite meandering and really longs for some of the over the top styling's of the earlier tracks. By reining it in however, Broken Records have somehow stifled under the sparseness. And now for the middle section, which should tentatively be titled 'ridiculously titled songs' as we get 'Thoughts On A Picture (In A Paper January 2009)' and 'If Eilert Løvborg Wrote A Song, It Would Sound Like This' the former being another indie-folk based track that does little to bring any personality or self identity to the band; instead making them sound far too similar to so many others out there, which is a let down when they have so much promise. Whilst the latter sounds like it was recorded in a Hungarian ghetto [which is no bad thing], its different and dares to be so, and also has quite a fast pace to it which I can easily picture folk cossacking to.
'Wolves' again leads us back into piano territory which even the marching band can't seem to rescue, again you kind of feel let down by what your hearing and this really shouldn't be the case. Thankfully the thuddering end lifts some of the gloom as we head into 'Ghosts' which sits firmly in the middle of the road with it's gentle plod and lilting vocals it neither inspires nor bores. 'A Good Reason' takes us back to Hungary but with slightly more immediacy with it's rollicking guitars and round-we-go violins as we are treated to a good ol' country stomper. It's a welcome treat after a few below-par performances. Finishing of with an older track in 'Slow Parade' which is of the early Coldplay ilk in that it's uplifting and hard to dislike as the sheer gentleness of the track plays off the urgency in the vocals.
All in all this is a good effort as a debut but from a band such as Broken Records. You can't help but feel they have so much more to offer and that maybe with a little more time and effort 'Until The Earth Begins To Part' could easily have been the album of the year. Needless to say it isn't but it's certainly a musical treat for those of you who love lush production and trying to spot just about everything that's going on.
Track-listing:
1. Nearly Home (05.31)
2. If The News Makes You Sad, Don't Watch It (04.21)
3. Until The Earth Begins To Part (03.31)
4. A Promise (05.01)
5. Thoughts On A Picture (In A Paper, January 2009) (04.07)
6. If Eilert Løvborg Wrote A Song, It Would Sound Like This (03.48)
7. Wolves (03.46)
8. Ghosts (03.38)
9. A Good Reason (04.08)
10. Slow Parade (04.29)
Broken Records on MySpace Music
Last edited by altsounds : July 29, 2009 at 09:49 PM.
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| | | | Overall Rating | | 7 | | Vocals / Lyrics | | 6 | | Musicianship | | 9 | | Production | | 8 | | Creativity | | 8 | | Lastability | | 6 | | Reviewers Tilt | | 7 |
73% | |
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Broken Records - Lies (Single)
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Broken Records - Until The Earth Begins To Part (Album)
