Vol. 44
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Full Pelt Magazine
Tag: Album Review
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Kasabian
Happenings
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KASABIAN – HAPPENINGS – ALBUM REVIEW
Playing a surprise set at Glastonbury Festival last weekend, Kasabian reminded the world that despite obvious line-up changes they remain a viable proposition live. Since said line-up alteration however, they’ve still yet to truly convince fans that they can also produce the goods on record – not at least in the way that fans want.
Therewithin lies the wider issue facing the band. Any act experimenting with their sound will always face backlash from fans reticent towards change, but when you remove an iconic singer and reshuffle the deck that scrutiny is bound to reach unfair levels.
It’s important therefore to not try and assess ‘Happenings’ against the first six albums, because through sentimentality and rose-tinted glasses anything new will always fall short and the cold reality is that the same would probably be true even with the original line-up.
More relevant therefore is how does ‘Happenings’ stack up against 2022’s reinvention record, ‘The Alchemist’s Euphoria’? We described that record as a cleansing album that reset the story for the band stating, “This album does what it needs to do to shore up the ship, but it almost leaves you now asking what’s next?”
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Well, what’s next is a ten song collection with a runtime of nearly 28 minutes dead, which means it’s a succinct and to the point album designed to capture their live energy on record. Frontman Serge Pizzorno has discussed writing this album from the perspective of how the songs will sound live, and the early songs on the album all will translate well on this front.
‘Darkest Lullaby’, ‘Call’, ‘How Far Will You Go’, ‘Coming Back To Me Good’ and the previously released ‘Algorithms’ will all fit into a modern Kasabian setlist with ease and from that standpoint it’s mission achieved for Pizzorno and co.
That said and returning to the earlier point – there are no big hitters on this album. No song that you instantly hold up as on par with their early hits. That however is an impossible measuring stick and shouldn’t take away from the fact that this is another decent if unspectacular showing for this new look version of Kasabian.
If you forget the past, and only focus on the now then you’ll find this to be a short, sharp fling of upliftingly fun dance-indie tunes. If however, you long for indie-rock anthems you’re better off looking into the new breed of indie rock band presently emerging.
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Full Pelt Magazine
Vol. 43
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The Warning
Keep Me Fed
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THE WARNING – KEEP ME FED – ALBUM REVIEW
The Warning have been building a hardcore fanbase going back a few years before the world shut down. It’s since the world opened back up however that the Mexican trio have really taken off. Every show, whether it be a headline sell out, huge support slot or massive festival opportunity, has been seized with both (or all six) hands!
Now the sisters are preparing for world domination with their all-conquering fourth studio album, ‘Keep Me Fed’!
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With six of the twelve tracks already out prior to release, anticipation was high for the record and the remaining half more than meets the expectations set. In fact, if you were going to sit down to write a modern rock album with enough pop sensibility to become a crossover success, then ‘Keep Me Fed’ would be about as perfect as you could get.
We already knew that there were a plethora of strong singles on this record, but when the album as a whole hits as well as this does you have to take note. Often the hype just isn’t really justified, but with The Warning it feels like they are only warming up.
‘Keep Me Fed’ is the ideal album to jump on the bandwagon with because fans old and new will thoroughly enjoy what the trio have captured.
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Imagine Dragons
Loom
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After releasing an enormous 32 song double album in 2022 that ran to an absurd 1 hour and 42 minutes, Imagine Dragons are back already but this time they’ve slimlined their approach.
New album, ‘Loom’, sits with just nine tracks and a runtime of just 28 minutes, which makes it instantly more accessible as a collection. ‘Mercury Acts 1&2’ of course did include some of those standard issue Imagine Dragons mega hits, but on a whole was just too much.
‘Loom’ does instantly feel an easier listen which shouldn’t be a surprise, nor should it be a surprise that another huge hit has already been identified with ‘Eyes Closed’ fairing very well on the airwaves.
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Beyond more of the same however the record just doesn’t hit any different. The group were groundbreaking and have carved out a incredible niche for unnaturally successful pop songs, alas now they feel like reruns of Friends!
We’ll always happily listen to their music, after all we know all the words, we know how the story goes, we feel… comfortable. That said, we also know that there are many more fresh and relevant acts that we could go and check out.
Imagine Dragons have become another band that it’s easy to belittle and poke fun of. They’re a band for people that aren’t “in to” music, but hey at the end of the day I’d take their bank account over mine any day. Equally I’d take their talent with it!
This isn’t a great album, but it’s not a bad one either. It’s not the worst the band have made and it’s not the best…it is just what it is.
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Mt. Onsra
Sacred Time
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Mt. ONSRA – SACRED TIME – ALBUM REVIEW
Fate can be a strange thing! For Simon Allen and Russell Cleave, fate (and a pandemic haircut!) would reunite two old bandmates some 20+ years since they last made noise together.
Mt. Onsra was born, and a remotely recorded debut album emerged as the world remained shut down. Almost immediately though, the duo set about creating an even bigger follow-up, which this time around could (mostly) be made in-person.
That sophomore record is now here! Entitled ‘Sacred Time’, the album bursts into life with epic introduction ‘Emergent’. Having grabbed your attention, the duo ensures that over the following eight songs you remain immersed within their massive sound.
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From the melodic to the brutal, the expansive and ambitious sound of the album is mesmerising. Each track will take you on a beautiful journey of sonic discovery and with a run time of just over half an hour, you’ll be eager to relive that trip multiple times.
As the duo continue to reconnect and discover where their second journey together is heading, their second record acts as a pertinent marker in time. This is the sound of a band ready to explore the art of the possible and capable of making an indelible mark!
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Watch Episode 50 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guests Mt. Onsra
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NOTHING MORE
CARNAL
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NOTHING MORE – CARNAL – ALBUM REVIEW
NOTHING MORE return with their new seventh album, ‘CARNAL’, which follows quickly on from 2022’s ‘SPIRITS’.
There has always been something special about the group, and this collection continues to set them apart from their contemporaries. If for no other reason than for the care and attention to detail that goes into their art which is truly admirable.
From the artwork, to the tracklist and the subtle little touches of magic that exude from each track, NOTHING MORE are a band that takes great pride in what they unleash and rightfully so. Each record thus far has mixed deeply insightful lyrics with an intensely powerful sound, and ‘CARNAL’ very much sees them doing what they do best.
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Exhibit number one can be the absolutely gargantuan ‘IF IT DOESN’T HURT’, which is as anthemic as it gets. Further evidence can be taken from their carefully crafted collaborations with Eric Vanlerberghe (‘HOUSE OF SAND’), Sinizter (‘STUCK’) and David Draiman (‘ANGEL SONG’), which all work well individually and as part of this record.
But the true proof of their incredible love and passion for what they do comes on the rest of the tracks. This isn’t a case of a big hit, some random features and a load of filler. Every second counts on ‘CARNAL’, every note adds gravity and every lyric means something.
Existing fans will savour every moment of this album, and with some ragers capable of cutting through to the mainstream, this may be the record that opens even more eyes onto the magic of NOTHING MORE!
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Vol. 42
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The Mysterines
Afraid of Tomorrows
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THE MYSTERINES – AFRAID OF TOMORROWS – ALBUM REVIEW
The Mysterines made a big impression with their superb debut album ‘Reeling’, which finished second in our Album of the Year list in 2022. Eighteen months of heavy touring later, including a prestigious slot opening for Arctic Monkeys on their stadium tour, and the band have grown their audience exponentially.
Time then to strike while the iron is hot, and release a carbon copy of that first record? Not on your life! In their short career, The Mysterines have already shown a fierce desire to explore their creative capabilities and that has been evident in the progress between breakout EP ‘Take Control’, ‘Reeling’ and now their sophomore record ‘Afraid of Tomorrows’.
Heading out to Los Angeles with revered producer John Congleton, the band have commented that Congleton sold himself by stating his opposition to replicating ‘Reeling’. Eager to push themselves, the band dove into these sessions and ended up with an abundance of songs, with only the most engaging making the cut.
Opening track ‘The Last Dance’ in particular proved a catalyst for what was to come and it’s fitting that the song welcomes listeners to the journey that this album will take them on. The band have always felt like a throwback and the limited amount of pre-release singles has been refreshing. It means when listeners dive into ‘Afraid of Tomorrows’ they are doing so with a great sense of intrigue.
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It’s also liberating that as the album progresses through the likes of ‘Stray’, ‘Another Another Another’ and ‘Tired Animal’, care has clearly been put into the tracklisting to make this album flow like a singular piece of work and not just a randomly collected group of songs.
That cohesion makes this a truly enjoyable record that epitomises the ambition of these four talented musicians. With singer Lia Metcalfe still holding a hypnotic hold over the listener with her powerful vocal delivery, the music provides the perfect balance and enables the groups sound to expand beyond expectation.
‘Afraid of Tomorrows’ really is quite magnificent and will have fans of the band looking forward to the future and the wonders which this incredible band will create!
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Full Pelt Magazine
Vol. 40
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