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Elly Roberts reviews
Parlophone (EMI)
- Cat.no: 3560972
- Released: March 2006
- Rating: 4/10
With most of the recent music cred coming from ‘up north’,Reading’s Morning Runner debut album is hardly going to raise a challenge to the likes of theKaisers or Arctic Monkeys.
Most of the power stuff is of no real musicalsignificance (it’s been done before and failed miserably), though theymight fare better with melodic offerings, such as the tender Hold YourBreath. There’s a small glimmer of promise, though that’s probably due toColdplay piano influences heard on Burning Bridges. High tempo blasts – HaveGood Time, Gone Up In Flames don’t have hit making qualities: the soaringGreat Escape and jaunty Punching Walls might, at a stretch, prove otherwise.
The lyrical content may bare difficult issues, but the music is nowhere nearchallenging enough to make them a super-group of the future.
One standout feature is Matthew Greener’s adaptable vocal style, flexibleenough to handle the rough and tumble with their softer leanings – closerBest For You is definitely the best song here.
To date, overall songwriting is average at best, so they’re a longway-off competing with the better bands.
As yet, they haven’t developed their individuality which they’ll to need to make a lasting impression, in what is an already cluttered music scene of ubiquitous bands.
No gongs at next year’s Brits and NME awards I’m afraid.
Weblink:Morning Runner.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. It’s Not Like Everyone’s My Friend
2. Have A Good Time
3. Gone Up In Flames
4. Burning Benches
5. Hold Your Breath
6. Oceans
7. The Great Escape
8. Be All You Want To Be
9. Punching Walls
10. Work
11. Best For You
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.