|
by brian tracy (TwilightBurning) / katie haley (comfortablybummed) - Apr 01, 2003
Idlewild - The Remote Part Review #1 - Brian Tracy On Idlewild's third album, The Remote Part, they display a comprehension of what it takes to make a distinctive, heartfelt album. What sets them apart is not this comprehension of what it takes, but their obvious capability for the task. Idlewild has seemingly natural talent for really lush, energetic rock songs that can't help themselves but to be catchy. The album starts out with the strong, melody heavy "You Held the World in Your Arms." The orchestral sounding backdrop of the chorus on this track give a feeling of depth, a full richness not found often in a time where most popular rock is more concerned with minimalism and an under-produced sound. "Modern Way of Letting Go" picks the pace up a bit as a more hard rocking, powerful track that is timed just right. Clocking in at just over two minutes and twenty seconds the track doesn't even give you enough time to get tired of it, before it even has a chance to get drawn out the track winds down. Short songs are often a bane as they seem to just get going before they get cut off, but "Modern Way..." is timed perfectly, its' shortness is only a footnote as the song fills every second with energy and development. "The Remote Part" is a consistent album, having been a major success Europe, spawning four singles; "You Held the World in Your Arms," "Modern Way of Letting Go," "American English," and "Live in a Hiding Place;" with few weak points. As the third major offering from this young band "The Remote Part" bodes well for the future of these Scotland natives, now there's nothing left to do but hope that the U.S. can catch up with the U.K. in welcoming this great band to our airwaves. Review #2 - Katie Haley Idlewild comes from Scotland, takes its name from "Anne of Green Gables", sells buttons that encourage you to "support your local poet", and has a lead singer called Roddy Woomble. Sweet, eh? However, as people who saw the band play in Champaign recently or have heard The Remote Part will tell you, Idlewild is anything but quaint. There is a reason that Woomble and company are among those mysterious "big in Europe!" bands, and it's not their charming connection to children's literature. Their secret weapon? Writing great rock songs that ooze sincerity but never simplicity. The Remote Part is full of earnest lyrics and hummable melodies, but is equally driven by its sometimes biting and sometimes smooth guitars. Consistent but not unchanging, it weaves slower, string-enhanced songs with fast'n'loud melodic rock. The quieter songs are never truly tranquil and the louder ones are never completely unrestrained: rather, the tracks hover somewhere around a middle ground that doesn't exactly push boundaries but still runs circles around much of what's out today. Many bands try to make consciously innovative and fresh music, but for that precise reason, the results can sound contrived. Idlewild avoids this by putting all their energy behind what's honest and unforced, as is clearly exhibited on The Remote Part. It's well-written, genuine, infectious, and certainly a lot of fun. Before hearing The Remote Part, my only exposure to its songs was through one Idlewild concert last April. A year later, I was still able to hum along on first listen and I'm showing no signs (or wishes) of stopping. Quite simply, Idlewild writes songs that stick in your head more than last month's Easy Mac sticks to its unwashed plate. And really, you wouldn't want it any other way. |