The Strange Death of Liberal England - Rising (Republic of Music)
Jared Lynn | Wednesday, 01 September 2010
Lead singer Adam Woolway sounds forced as he tries hard to match his voice with the sound expected from the band's name. He isn't a great singer to begin with and it becomes more painful as the song progresses, entering dangerous wailing territory and painfully stretching the ears during the whiny chorus.
Lyrically the song suffers from this same forced style. They strive for intellect and meaning but find a raft of uninspired cliché. It's like they've read a 'how-to' book on indie and followed the instructions religiously.
"Tears running down my face", "like a distant ship", "cold hard bones", "hold onto something in vain", a chorus of "I hear the wind, I hear the rain, falling against the window pane", then throw in "the rising sea that exists between you and me" - a sea in which you inevitably "drown". It's a never-ending blitzkrieg of clichéd imagery; the song is so saturated it's almost funny.
Nevertheless, 'Rising' is catchy and should keep your foot tapping, but The Strange Death of Liberal England need to swiftly drop the indie blueprint and discover originality.
Rating: 2/5