News: Fyfe Dangerfield (The Guillemots) – Free Track Download
“When You Walk in the Room”, the first track on Fyfe Dangerfield’s (him of The Guillemots) forthcoming new album “Fly Yellow Moon”, due in January 2010. Download via www.fyfedangerfield.com, listen repeatedly, and let us know what you think of the track. The site will ask you for your email address.
Guillemots – Falling Out Of Reach
Guillemots’ second album “Red” has seen its fair share of praise and criticism. The split is usually between people who think it is a brilliant record and the others who are just muffled by it. “Falling Out of Reach” is the second single lifted from that album and it really has the potential to be a massive hit. The band have hovered around the top 20 with their single releases but this song has such crossover potential that top 10 or even 5 is not out of the question. The song is a simple acoustic track that slowly builds with strings layered throughout the song. Then when the chorus hits you feel like you are in this magical moment of this blissful romantic state. The song will surely be all over the airwaves so you will get your chances to hear. But, don’t be afraid to enjoy this sweeping epic.
By John Siwicki
Guillemots – Red
Guillemots slick and slim debut “Through The Windowpane” was an ambitious record but it was a start for the band. The record had a few wholes but on a whole it was a really solid record. You could nit pick the lyrics on like a track like “Made Up Love Song #43″ but when you are a person in love those lyrics seem perfect. Another argument that could be made is that the album filled with string happen grandiose indie tunes. Some, might think the songs were to over the top. One thing for certain is that “Through The Windowpane” had a number of sure fire hits on the record.
“Red” is not the same as the bands debut album. If you go through the record there are no huge hits that smack you in the face like “Trains To Brazil” on the debut which, just had a mass appeal. The band being such a diverse and eclectic group have always had a wide ranging sound but “Red” takes that and uses it to go to the next level. “Red” is a very good record and really hard to pinpoint and describe.
Lead single, “Get Over It” is the albums one shot at the stadium filling anthem. It has all the parts to make the song into a massive machine huge riffs, a catchy hook and a lot of “woo woohoos” and those are always fun. “Kriss Kross” is the albums first song and it chugs along at a funky/glam rock whomp telling me to “dance with the your thunder and lightening.” Then you get the sexy sythns of “Big Dog” which, you might think you are listening to the latest R&B record as this song just slides and makes me want to gyrate. It leads into the tender and acoustic “Falling Out of Reach” quite nicely with a brilliant contrast here. The song has the emotional and the powerhouse possibilities that could easily have this one being a big summer tune. “Last Kiss” sounds like it could be the latest Girls Aloud single. The way that bombing bass picks up and comes right in and the bells and Aristazabal Hawkes takes over lead vocal duties and it comes across as spectacular. The track is a complete surprise and utterly brilliant as I can’t seem to get myself to move onto the next track. “Standing On The Last Star” will bowl you over with FeFe’s high pitched vocal.
What we have here is the sound of the band growing into their own shoes and getting more confident with time. “Red” is a refreshing record that gives you something new and completely different with each song.
By John Siwicki
Guillemots – Get Over It
The first thing that strikes me with this is the the retro feel to it. It sounds very 80s, electro-pop. It bounces along cheerfully despite the more downbeat topic of the lyrics, which was interesting. The bassline is a particular highlight to me, it chugs along well and really compliments the music well. I’m not sure on the specific instruments used in this track but they have used the double bass often and to great success in the past and this would explain the prominence of the bassline. The vocals form a catchy melody and overall the song sounds very radio-friendly. However, it just isn’t quite catchy – it is but it isn’t because we’ve heard it all before, it’s nothing new and while this may have sounded special years ago, in modern days it sounds quite tired. Not bad but not great.
By Matt Shaw