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Elly Roberts reviews
Third Man/XL Recordings
- March 2008
- Rating: 6/10
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Confused second, from supposed purveyors of classic 70s rock.
Consolers Of The Lonely in no way matches up to the brilliance oftheir debut album, though it does have its moments, but they lack the directnessof its predecessor. Its most worrying aspect is that its lost its classicrock remit, now sounding more like a more expanded White Stripes.
Their debut opened with sexy rocker Steady As She Goes which became thehook for the remainder of the album that had instant appeal. That kind of hookisnt here sadly and the album takes time to get going. This one has been conceived’on the road apparently, and I cant help feeling a bigger gap was needed beforeentering the studio.
Much of this could have been left on the studio floor, like Hold Up, TopYourself, and the overblown Five On The Five. Attention is a bitof a duff track too, and totally pointless. In this case, it wouldve been lessis more its a whopping 14 tracks dont forget. Brendan Benson and Jack Whiteshare the songwriting credits, but it has all the hallmarks of Whites baby.
White still has a big thing about Led Zep, so inevitably we get some monsterriffs and wailing guitar solos.
There are also moments when you think Jack has forgotten which band hes in,shown on the thumping title track with Jack doing his typical vocal gymnastics.Its much the same kind of the adrenalin rush for Salute Your Solution,though theres some heavy funk and wild solos thrown in for good measure.
You Dont Understand is a different ball game. Clunking piano opens themore measured and disciplined soft-rock ballad, while Jack drops some deftPage like twisted ripples. Countrified Old Enough is most welcome totallydispatching any Stripes shadows. Latin flavoured is like an Icky Thumpleftover. Masses of brass provided by the Memphis Horns, and yes, someear-piercing White solos.
Further-in Pull This Blanket Off is a damp squib, though Rich Kids Blues with ’60s style organ at the mid point is the albums jewel and could well betheir next concert anthem. The crescendo is mind-blowing. When they strikethis kind of form theyre sensational, but it doesnt happen often enough overthe entire album. Its never a good idea rushing the second album as it invariablydefines a band even if its nearly two years since Broken Boy Soldiers.
File under: Back to the drawing board please.
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Consoler Of The Lonely
2. Salute Your Solution
3. You Dont Understand Me
4. Old Enough
5. The Switch And The Spur
6. Hold Up
7. Top Yourself
8. Many Shades Of Black
9. Five On The Five
10.Attention
11. Pull This Blanket Off
12. Rich Kid Blues
13. These Stones Will Shout
14. Caroline Drama
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.