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Idlewild
The Remote Part
(Parlaphone
/ EMI)
Can someone grow internally and reach epic heights without making
much noise? Can an artist write a truly incredible record yet
languish in near obscurity? If a tree falls in…
In some remote part of this known universe, Idlewild wrote what
may be the most compelling record in recent years. While their
post punk beginnings were humble from a grand musical stand,
their passion and intelligent song writing has grown immensely
since they first formed. Dogged by comparisons to UK giants
Radiohead, Idlewild have proved that all that flair and big
exposure means nothing if your product, the very essence they,
the mainstream media try to make money from, isn’t of
high quality. And in grand tradition, The Remote Part
opens with the stadium sized, sweeping track “You Held
the World in Your Arms”. It creates an outburst of fleeting
emotions, captured in the track’s big orchestral feel
– swooping vocals, strings and indelible guitar work.
It is followed by a personal favorite in “A Modern Way
of Letting Go”, packed with crunchy, up tempo hooks and
melodies, it’s reminiscent of fast moving power pop/punk
laced with an acerbic rock tongue. Their single, “American
English” may somewhat satisfy those who compare Idlewild
with Radiohead. It’s catchy guitar riff and beautifully
cave like sound resonates perfectly in one’s ear.
What compliments the audio flawlessly is the lyrical poetry
that accompanies these fine compositions. Like poetry, it often
paints images in your head while you digest the songs and fly
away into musical nirvana. The accessibility of this record
is striking; while it may not be the most pioneering –
sauntering through musical boundaries in an attempt to revolutionize
an entire front – it does convey a message of certain
serenity within the listener; taking away the burden of critical
pressure and turning it into a journey sweeping across landscapes.
Not only strong in power pop riffs and punk loudness, Idlewild
manage to serenade the soul with acoustic driven songs and indie
rock flavors – perhaps akin to Brit pop/rock seen in the
likes of Coldplay. It leaves a puzzled expression on a listener,
to try and understand why people have yet to pick up on Idlewild.
Perhaps they are just one of those artists, whose beautifully
powerful and enchanting music is reserved for the slightly more
sophisticated individual. But upon continued listening, The
Remote Part is music for everyone – capable, loud,
soft, driving, soothing and incredibly exquisite, built on a
foundation of personal and musical growth.
Reviewed by
Billy Maulana |
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