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Athlete - Wires
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by Colin Roberts
  • Type: Single
  • Release date: 17/01/2005
  • Label: Parlophone
Athlete suffer from a problem that seems to have infiltrated into so many bands of their ilk. You could quite happily put Athlete's last LP 'Vehicles & Animals' on and fifty minutes later, not realise anything has happened, like you may as well have not had any music on at all. While they can obviously write a tune and play it, the South Londoners never seem to be able to make it do anything. Touted as another new Coldplay, the new record 'Tourist' could really do the business and push them massively mainstream, but we're once again faced with the same problem as every other 'new Coldplay' type band – the songs are woefully dull. There's no progression here and no real drive to make me want to hear more, which makes its status as a comeback single quite redundant.

There is a market for Athlete and yes, it conveniently ties in with the unchallenging Dido-buying mindset, but maybe that's what they want? My mum likes this single; draw from that what you will.

  • Athlete 5 / 10
Words: Colin Roberts

Athlete - Wires

this song has really caught me off guard - i was expecting it to be shite , but it ticks all the boxes - could finally make them big (not Coldplay big, more Supergrass big)

Re: Athlete - Wires

I'm a sucker for songs with stories and not having given Athlete much attention before (which may be due to the attention problem you raise Crablin), this one really jumped at me. Babies in hospital. yeah, I've already confessed to being a sucker.

Athlete - Wires

Hmm. I'm not taken with it. The worrying thing is the first album was great singles and a load of filler(except for the last two tracks). And this isn't a slice of summer-pop like You Got The Style. It's following the same style as Beautiful...with the only difference being instead of being above-average it's below average. Ho hum.

Athlete - Wires

I suppose the annoying thing is, a week or so after writing this review, I still find the fucking chorus in my head.

If it were good, it would be testament to the song, but I just think it's such a simplistic drone that I can't seem to push it out.

Athlete - Wires

I actaully rate this song, and due to the support of Radio 1 i think Athlete could make the step up.

I agree that the first album was not exactly life changing, but still at the same time it is a decent album with about 6 really good tunes.

As debuts go, it was a decent effort, got a feeling the 2nd album could surprise a few people, well here's hoping anyway

Athlete - Wires

I really liked their first album - it was quite cheery and catchy. I was very worried wehn I heard that they were now sounding like Coldplay. I saw them perform this on tv on sat, and it was very dull and average. They seem to have taken the easy route, and gone for a more commercial sound. Very disappointing.

Re: Athlete - Wires

Yeah, I would have said that contrary to the review the first album was generally quite different from Keane, Coldplay et al and if anything I would have thought that people who disliked it would find it annoying rather than unmemorable.
I have to disagree about this song though because I think it's so much better done than could possibly have been expected... I hope that they don't take that route for the whole album though still

Athlete - Wires

I concur, what a fuckin sell-out. I loved Vehicles and Animals as it was so happy and melodic. I know I've been naughty by downloading the album, but after the single I had to check the album to see if I wanted to buy it, and I don't. It's shit. Same Coldplay label, probably the same producer, all the tunes on the album are the same and there is only one that resembles the Athlete of Vehicles and Animals.

I'm all for bands progressing and developing but this is just a blatant sell-out

Athlete - Wires

i really really like this new single. im a huge fan of the 1st album, and im just hopin the 2nd is gd also. after seeing them at goldsmiths uni, it seemed promising. but guess ill hafta wait and see.