Klaxons - Myths Of The Near Future
I made a very conscious decision not too look closely at Klaxons until their debut album arrived. This was not only to avoid the plethora of singles that were due to be recycled, but also to separate myself from all the hype they were generating. They seemed to polarise opinion between those who loved their fresh new sound and those who despised their image (or as some may put it, those who hated their music and those who loved their image). But in the end their story appears to all boil down to one phrase: new rave. It’s the movement that Klaxons have been swept up in and whether they like it or not, it’s the movement that will forever define them. Centred on an electronically influenced blend of rock music, it also spawns images of trendiness, remixes and puppeteering record labels. It’s a movement that makes me sick in so many ways, but if we can just stop and appreciate the music for what it is, there’s a lot to be gained. This electro-rock combines the dancability of electronic music with the sing-along anthems of rock to create a very infectious dance floor atmosphere. We’ve been busting out to The Presets for years now but if NME wants to hail Klaxons as the pioneers of a new era then good for them; I’ll just be happy to enjoy the music. After giving their album a thorough listen, my suspicions of manufactured fame have disappeared. This is a genuinely quality album which strengths lie in its accessibility and the ease at which it gets you moving. It’s a fast paced onslaught filled with vocal harmonies and sci-fi allusions that is solid throughout. With an album as fun as this, I’m willing to give Klaxons the benefit of the doubt.
Two Receivers – I’ve always had a soft spot for falsetto vocals and this song (along with the rest of the album) is dripping with them. It opens the album and does so in style
Totem Of The Timeline – It’s a promising sign when two of the album’s best tracks (these two) are previously unreleased. It shows the band isn’t just relying on its early singles. This song falls more under the category of short, fast and straight to the point.
8 comments:
from what i've heard which is simply what you've supplied. this music the klaxons claim to create has melodic undertones of the mars volta but production wise i find its a step away from what panic at the disco might be doing just a lot more drawn out. i think this band would do a lot better escaping that dance-pop pigeon hole they have chosen to gain exposure (think modular recordings) and go for a punk ethos where their music would find more dynamics and more exciting rhythms. they'd be like a better sparta. they lean towards this goal in the second of the songs you've provided. In this song i also see their use of double tracked vocals, i dont see this as necessary, if that other vocal track isnt doing much to contrast. Overall not very impressed, but hey thats what opinions are for, to be expressed. Let controversy ensue!
"this music the klaxons claim to create" - there's controversy for you. But yeah I can definitely sympathise with anyone who dislikes this band; there's plenty of reasons to, but I just ignore them. I like to restrain from looking too deep and just enjoy the album for what it is on the surface - fun. This probably offends all of the true musicians out there but hey, we all deserve a chance to dumb it down every now and then.
as a "real' musician with performacne and composition background i say this album is very musical. great review by blog author but mark and peter missed the mark. IMO
Super excited about the Klaxons. I’m eagerly awaiting their tour.
http://www.myspace.com/klaxons
http://eightfiftyseven.com/
Yeah that blog author is pretty fantastic
LOLZERS at 3rd last post
just bought the album yesterday but i've yet to listen to it. hopefully it's as good as you say it is. i already like the songs on the eps but i'm interested to see how they've changed (or haven't) on the cd.
I much prefer The Rapture though.
I think the Klaxons may be caught trying too hard.
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