X Marks Destination - The Whip Album Review

The Whip

Album Review

Ok lets go through the checklist to see if I should like this band:-

1. They are a Hard Working Band from Manchester – Check

2. They have rave reviews from the likes of XFM, NME, etc – Check

3. Jim Abbiss has produced their album who has looked after the Artic Monkeys, Editors and new sensation Adele – Check

So fantastic, I’m excited time to fire up the CD player and take a look at opening track and new single Trash. It’s a poppy electo tune kind of a mix of pet shop boys meets new order, it’s nice enough and I want to really like this but it doesn’t really build and lyrically it’s not exactly great. It’s not that the track is particularly bad but it is also not very memorable.

Come on Bruce Carter and Danny Saville show me the formidable talent behind the hype, let’s move on to the next track Frustration. Its starts off and I think that I am hearing something from Soft Cell. They might keep harking on about it being cold outside but that’s where they should stay until they give me a sound that’s a bit more original.

Okay, I have to admit I did enjoy some tracks for this album. Save my soul was a great tune and Divebomb as a track I certainly welcomed, electro dance in the style of orbital it feel original and fresh.

So what’s the conclusion? Don’t believe the hype, it’s okay but it’s just they don’t have anything on this album that is a stand out hit.

So how does this rate on a I pod scale.

1. I look for this album and play it all the way through

2. I hit shuffle and one of the tracks appear and I listen to 3-4 minutes of their work and I am happy

3. I hit shuffle and immediately move onto the next track and artist.

For me they are in box number 2 I’m afraid.

Chris Earls