2008-01-16
For Athlete’s third release, the band built on sounds captured on laptops while touring the United States. They recorded and produced the album themselves in a studio they built near their U.K. homes. Self-producing the CD may have been a mistake. A producer could have pushed them to be more creative, to test their limits. An undercurrent of potential runs through the CD, which makes the lackluster release especially frustrating. One major blunder on the CD is the insensitivity of the fist-pumping anthem “Hurricane” in light of Katrina’s devastation. In addition to a quote gone awry (“This is something we’ve gotta get used to”), lead singer Joel Pott sings, "Oh, hurricane. What you gonna do to us this time?” Us? The song sets up the U.K. boys as outsiders, which makes establishing a connection with the music difficult. --MLGMATTHEW RYAN VS. THE SILVER STATE
Matthew Ryan Vs. The Silver State
Missy Higgins
On A Clear Night
THE HOLD STEADY
Boys & Girls In America
WISE IN TIME
The Ballad of Den the Men
Anne McCue
Roll
Michael Brook
RockPaperScissors
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