Bombay Bicycle Club - Magnet (Island)

BBC's latest effort isn't miles away from their previous releases. The music is urgent, pacy and raw with a catchy guitar riff placed around the anthem-like chorus they do so well; "He took the back seat everyone was happy!" Jack Steadman sings, sounding like he's underwater.

And it's Steadman's vocals that are going to be the deal breaker for most. And rightly so, the strained quality to his voice and metronomic verses at times are highly addictive. But others could easily disagree. The one recurring problem is that BBC, like many others before them, are going down a path that isn't very interesting.

The band's tentative funky debut 'Always Like This' focussed solely on the credible indie influences before them, such as Interpol and 'Magnet' isn't much different. In essence, 'Magnet' has everything needed to become a good rock song with neat and tidy arrangements, in the vein of early Strokes or White Stripes, but there is something lacking.

After an impressive summer performing to delighted crowds at Reading and Leeds, this lot seem to be capable of so much more. Early material like 'The Hill' and the rollercoaster ride of 'Open House' were more aspirational. Now, it seems, Bombay are just playing it safe.

Rating: 3/5

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Artist: Bombay Bicycle Club Title: I Had the Blues But.. Released: 19/10/2009 Buy Now \| View Details	Artist: Bombay Bicycle Club Title: Flaws Released: 20/07/2010 Buy Now \| View Details

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Published: 11/09/2009 at 02:47
Author: David Spencer
Links: Permanent Link