Idlewild - Make Another World
Rating
RIYL
InterpolU2
Great Big Sea
The Transit War
Tracklist
1. In Competition for the Worst Time2. Everything (As It Moves)
3. No Emotion
4. Make Another World
5. If It Takes You Home
6. Future Works
7. You and I Are Both Away
8. A Ghost In the Arcade
9. Once In Your Life
10. Finished It Remains
Users RatingCreate an account or log in to rate this album |
Your RatingCreate an account or log in to rate this album |
Obsession with foreign lands has defined the human character for much of our existence. Often, the best stories are those told of travels to a far off land where the scenery and locals are exceptionally different from what we call home. These are stories that help to detail a location that can only be conceptualized in the mind that has yet to visit these said locations. And when one draws an idea of a foreign location that they have never had the chance to visit, it often includes several forms of stimulation. One can conceptualize about the weather and the scent of a particular location as well as the obvious appearance of the destination. But one conceptual element that does not always make its way into the perception is the sense of sound.
Sound has a lot to do with a particular location just as anthems have deep significance to their respective nations. This is where music makes an appearance in our development of sound as it relates to location. When you think Irish rock you most likely think of U2 and a hint of an accent that gives it a uniqueness to the music in contrast to North American bands doing the same thing – a similar quality exists in Scottish rock. And while there is much more to Make Another World than just that accent, there is little else to separate it from North American bands doing the same thing. A particular scenario can be developed to emphasize this point.
A pub and a rock club stand side by side on a busy downtown street. Patrons come and go stopping at either bar depending on their preference that night. Sometimes the bar hoppers sample both the pub and rock club to quench their thirst and desire for a good time. In his drunken stupor one patron idealizes that it would be great if the two bars would combine to create something unique in the area – he had seen it done elsewhere. However he maintains that the music is decent at both locations. The next morning our patron wakes up without recollection of his thoughts the night before. He forgets his ideas of the pub and rock club in conjunction, and he even forgets the music he heard at each respective bar.
This analogy helps to illustrate the sound of Make Another World as a whole. All of the instrumentals are laid down quite well along with the vocals, which give the listener a sense of Gaelic passion and loss. There is also a heavy folk rock feeling to the disk which helps to forge an intimate connection with the listener. But this same intimate connection also makes it seem all too much like bar music. While there is nothing wrong with going to a bar and enjoying a live set of cover songs by a local act, it seems all too out of place for it to be considered a strong release by a full time group of musicians. The overall feel of the album is fairly quick and upbeat – making it a solid listen for a few spins of the player. However, just as the songs of a bar side act are difficult to recall the next morning, so is this release in a genre that has many more memorable releases.
--Chad Quenneville
Comments
Dubuque
Facebook / MySpace
View Chris Conlan's profile on LinkedIn
Waterloo, Ontario
Top Ten of 2009 http://www.decoymusic.com/users/3747/top_tens/2009
Sheffield
Green Brook, NJ