Idlewild
Idlewild
Via V2 Records
The thing with reviewing an Idlewild record is that if you’re reading this, you’re most likely already an Idlewild fan. And therefore you know waaaaaay more than yer girl about their three decade history. From 90’s playing their guitars with razor blades, yelling their lungs out about shapes, art schools and being the captain of something or other, and, essentially, making such a racket that your parents either frequently told you to turn it down or saw them stage an intervention because they wondered what the hell was going on in your teenage bedroom. To melancholy, poetic musings sung over haunting melodies with a softness and vulnerability that brought goosebumps. There’s no need to be modest – your knowledge of Idlewild is superior. Encyclopaedic even, compared to mine. And you know what? ‘Idlewild’ is gonna blow that fact-filled mind of yours. If this was their debut album – the first Roddy Woomble and his band had ever released, it’d be hitting hard with the critics and high in the charts. But as their tenth? Jeez Louise, the evolution of this band and the songs that they are still making – it’s breathtaking. Band and fans have grown up together. And while ‘Idlewild’ is full of that stunning cinematic sound they do so well, it’s also an evolution of a band which will continue to soundtrack their listeners’ lives. And that’s something pretty special right there. ‘Idlewild’ is powerful in places, peaceful in others. Its tracks ebb and flow. Some bloom straight away (opener ‘Stay Out Of Place’ explodes – heavily yet heavenly, and ‘Like I Had Before’ skips straight in with a carefree hook and life-affirming crescendo chorus). Calm and contemplative ‘The Mirror Still’ is the sound of erm, reflection (no pun intended!). ‘Make It Happen’ is a spikey, choppy little three-minuter that’ll give you early Idlewild thrills. Don’t fret – those fuzzy guitars are still there, ready to give you a little jolt out of the ‘Idlewild’ storybook and back into real life. But to be honest, if we could stay in this gorgeous, nostalgic, intelligent, soul-searching world Idlewild have created, we would.
https://www.facebook.com/IdlewildTheBand
Review by Jo Wright