Guillemots: Through The Windowpane

Elly Roberts reviews

Guillemots: Through The Windowpane
Distributed by
Polydor

    Cover

  • Released: July 2006
  • Rating: 10/10 PLUS

Fortune favours the brave. Guillemots win.

Daring Brummie Fyfe Dangerfield and international cohorts boldly go wherefew bands would venture, with the possible exception of Aussie outfit TheSleepy Jackson.

Through The Windowpane is nothing short of a sonic masterpiece –adventurous, exquisite, eloquent, melodic, and yes, even pompous in parts,though it never borders on the experimental. This isn’t just any old album;this is art, full of confidence which is both breathtaking and staggering.

It’s the unashamed confidence that impresses most. Unfairly dubbed‘eccentrics’, Guillemots bring together differing musical experiences fromBrazil – Mc LorD maGrAO on guitar, Canada – Aristazabal Hawkes on bass andthe Scottish highlands – Greig Stewart on drums, they have created amulti-sonic opus that includes haunting ballads – the simple Blue WouldStill Be Blue being the most effective (showcasing Dangerfield’svocal mastery) to thumping complex beats such as the title track andsizzling 60’s Motownesque Trains To Brazil.


Also key to its undeniable beauty is Dangerfield’s cultured and flexiblefalsetto. Production is another highlight, from the whopping 11 minutes 40seconds of epic closer Sao Paulo with its complex structure andexplosive mid-section blasts and cacophonous crescendo, where they’veadopted the Spectorish wall of sound, also found on We’re Here andjoyous Annie, Let’s Not Wait.

On the mellower end, they’ve written heartfelt lyrics, some a bit bafflingto the heart wrenching and atmospheric If The World Ends which wouldfit a reprise to the orchestral opener Little Bear.

Through The Windowpane is outstanding in every department, showing theimaginative prowess of a band with a dazzling future.

The only foreseeable problem Guillemots have, is difficult album numbertwo – until then, enjoy their awesome debut – a timeless wonder.

Weblinks:Guillemots.com /Myspace.com/GuillemotMusic


The full list of tracks included are :

1. Little Bear
2. Made-up Love Song #43
3. Trains To Brazil
4. Redwings
5. Come Away With Me
6. Through The Windowpane
7. If The World Ends
8. We’re Here
9. Blue Would Still Be Blue
10. Annie, Let’s Not Wait
11. And If All….
12. Sao Paulo

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