Bella
Union continue their highly successful procurement strategy by
bringing the admired US cult act, `The Autumns' on to their books.
`Fake Noise from a Box of Toys' is the fourth release from the
dreamey indie-pop 4-piece and shows a band that has fully matured
in terms of their ambition and their ability to craft lush arrangements.
`The Autumns' marry angular indie rock intensity to a conspicuous
sense of melody and cloak it in an all-encompassing atmosphere
of ethereal shoe-gazing majesty. As such, the wonderfully entitled
`Fake Noise from a Box of Toys' is a 12 track, 43minute foray
into cinematic and sonically diverse alternative rock soundscapes
which continuously meander between a range of styles.
The album
recalls the majestic indie albums of the last decade in that listener's
are treated to hit after hit. The announced single `Boys' is one
of the most triumphant and heavy moments in the album with its
angular arrangements, majestic guitar lines, magical melodies
and stomping vocals. Lack of energy is the Achilles heel of many
bands in this area however `The Autumns' never succumb to languid,
formulaic offerings. Instead they shift effortlessly between high-octane
stompers and softer moments of tender beauty. Track 8 `Glass Jaw'
is an excellent example of the former and expertly fuses propulsive
rock riffs with `The Autumns' ethereal majesty. This quartet has
the ability to carve arrangements which not only include captivating
and memorable chorus hooks but also explore sonic terrain in a
fashion akin to progressive rock artists. For example, Track 7
`Only Young', another knock-out track, starts with an immediately
memorable vocal style and is complimented with a effervescent
grouping of jazz like drumming, bass and infectious guitar melodies
to create a truely majestic slice of anthemic beauty.
Stylistically
and lyrically, `The Autumns' ride upon a host of parallels. Kelly's
angelic falsetto vocals are reminiscent of Jeff Buckley, Thom
Yorke and Matt Bellamy at different points within the album. Musically,
Track 3 `Clem' sounds like a lost masterpiece by Aussie dream-rockers
Silverchair whilst Track 5 `Killer In Drag', a dark whirlwind
of eriee vocals and twinkling instrumentation, could have easily
been a standout on Thom Yorke's `The Eraser'. It is evident that
`The Autumns' are not in the business of artistic plagiarism but
are specialists at taking on varied and exigent influences and
making them their own. In closing, `The Autumns' have sprinkled
magic dust over the body of infectious and dreamy alt. rock to
deliver one of the strongest indie albums of 2007. (KS)
For
fans of: Silverchair, Radiohead, Muse, Snowpatrol
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