- Music
- 10 Aug 16
Sophomore album for superstar Brit-poppers
The indie-boy-band-with-guitars return with the long-awaited follow-up to their massively successful debut, 2012's Chapman Square. Following a short intro filled with more ambience than an Eno effects rack, they immediately hit full overload on 'We Are The Fire', which is all chiming, reverb-laden U2 guitars, layered textures and massed voices.
Already familiar as the catchy single, 'Money' blends a reggafied rhythm with a rousing chorus. The toned-down 'Where My Love Goes' is a mid-tempo ballad that provides respite from the aural storm - it's a decent song with mass appeal that makes you wonder why they don't do more of this kind of thing.
Meanwhile, 'Rio' doesn't have a lot in common with Duran Duran's hit of the same title - though it does extol the virtues of an exotic lifestyle and again features chopped, reggae-ish rhythms, swirling vocal effects and an irresistible melody. Frantic rhythms underpin 'When I'm Old', while lush strings swell over the soaring ballad 'Only Water'.
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Elsewhere clubby blips and beats surround 'Lions Den', while 'Love And War' sounds like it was designed by a committee. It's pretty insubstantial stuff for the most part - but it ticks all the right boxes and will appeal to their fans in droves.