For one minute, let's have some perspective. Let us all take a step back from the hyperbole, the 'hype' and the coining of new genres. Genres invented with the sole purpose of allowing lazy journalists, chattering around tables in JD Wetherspoon public houses, to appear more 'on it' than their contemporaries.
We're now on neutral ground: this is Villa Park during a League Cup semi-final, or the venue where you dump your long-term partner, somewhere away from your respective houses. In front of us sits Myths Of The Near Future; it's the debut album by New Cross three-piece Klaxons. You've not heard of them before, and they've certainly not yet been lucky enough to secure coverage in every music publication going.
Opener 'Two Receivers' is dark and brooding; its production is wide, far-reaching and produces a track that, despite being overtly simple in structure and composition, engulfs the listener and everything around them. Where the magic of Klaxons appears to lie thus far, then, is in their Lego-like building of simple ideas into atmospheric pop songs. An album along these lines sounds fantastic, thankyouverymuch.
Of course, as soon as 'Atlantis To Interzone' starts screaming "DJ!" at me, the comfort zone they've ushered in is cast aside like an axe through the skull of a small child. In the best way possible.
As each track plays out more and more sides to this musical beast are revealed: the effortless radio-friendly pop of current single 'Golden Skans' gives way to the relentless electro-punk of 'Totem On The Timeline'. At every corner, the band seem to be able to surprise - be it with their oblique literary references, melodic prowess or just how massive they, alongside producer James Ford, have managed to make this album sound.
A few tracks down the line and ‘Magick’ reopens Klaxons' can of darkness, but penetrates every line with floor-quaking energy and rhythmic intensity. This is leftfield pop at its most daring and is all the more listenable for its risk-taking.
Let's now return to Earth. You know, where Klaxons actually are on the cover of every other newspaper and magazine, and have been for a few months. Having made the effort and cast aside the media's conceptions, I'm happy to report that their position is justified: Myths Of The Near Future is a brick through the window of your next door neighbour’s and the starting gun in a race to your nearest club. It's a really, really fucking good and danceable pop album that avoids changing lives, but happily enhances them.
And that cover version? Klaxons have catapulted 'It's Not Over Yet' from slightly embarrassing dance 'classic' into one of the most uplifting, epic pop songs of the year.
This isn't a rave record. It was never supposed to be. It's a wildly varying catalogue of melody and energy that eschews genre and scene in favour of songwriting and awe-inspiringly beefy production. Don't let anything get in the way of you picking up this record: it's expansive, free from pretension and easily one of the finest debuts of recent times.
Yeah, unexpectedly good. Nice surprise!
I'm really liking this record
Amid all the chaos and havoc there is a big dollop of fun and charm injected into every song. A strangely feel-good album.
new rave
good solid album, definitlely achieved the hype but it does piss me off how everyone calls them new rave- it was a joke:)
DIS
Give a 9 to absoloutley anything.
Seriously believe that it's 9/10th's perfect, Colin?
fuck this.
This is a fucking good review
which recognises an excellent band for what they are, without giving in to 'cooler-than-thou' crap. Top.
I think it's worth about a 5 or 6
Pretty dull pop songs really.
i like this review..
..sums it up nicely.
ignore all the new genre shit and its a well record.
let the backlash begin :]
well 'GOOD' record..
..i meant to say.
xx
The re-recording of Gravity's Rainbow
is cack, though.
They've re-recorded it?
The swines.
its quite telling how
all the songs you mention in this review have been leaked on the internet in some form for a few months.
thats the worst thing about this album = the singles (and tracks) in advance were outstanding, but the rest seems a bit flat making an uneven album.
Not Over Yet is fucking brilliant
They are the poppest indie band in ages, bloody good.
good point
about the fact it "avoids changing lives". it hasnt completely inspired me like some stuff, but you cant complain, its good.
Atlantis To Interzone
is a stroke of genius on this record. They've re-recorded it to perfection.
The rerecorded...
version of Atlantis To Interzone has been available for a while on the twin 12"/7" remix pack on Merok for a good 6 months or so. Plus it's the version on the video they filmed for it
...
um, great?
A great, subversive, surrealist pop album.
But it's inconsistent. Isle Of Her sounds EXACTLY like a band going through the motions. And Forgotten Worlds is achingly obvious, and a tad lazy.
Saying that, the rest is tantamount to genius and I desperately hope it stands the test of time.
Funny thing is......
the tracks I've heard, if they'd come out 15 years ago would certainly have been rave tracks so not too sure what all this 'not rave' is about.
Problem is I'm getting on a bit and thought rave was shit the first time around and was more into techno and progressive house and other stupid genres of dance music and anyway have realised since that it only really sounded any good on E anyway so the last thing I want is a bloody rave revival...
i was
really really happy when i played this album today. I got it and though, this is going to be a dissapointment. And i loved about 3/4 of the track. Isle of her is shit though.
If only the cooper temple clause still sounded this good
Just listening this is surprisingly good
but just dont take it too serious and expect some deep shit.
It's not rave. End of.
They started with the aesthetics of rave, but nothing else. Christ.
but
if you started with the idea that beauty in art is manifested through rave, then surely all of your stuff will be rave (unless you don't want to sound good anymore?!).
D.J!
I was so pleased when I sat down and listened to this today - It's the first record I've bought in a long time where I haven't been sorely disappointed by a succession of lack-lustre filler packed around a few tasty singles. This is an album stuffed with clever ideas, obscure details, and most importantly, absolutely blazing tunes, tunes that sound like the offices of Stock, Aitken and Waterman being held at gunpoint by hooded cultists, or the Bee Gees being raped by the Sex Pistols on a bungee jump. Great band, great album (good review too).
Its a weird un.
I found myself hating the 'new rave' classification given to them, and felt sorry for them parading under such a proposterous NME term.
The thing is, I think I'd have probably preferred it if they HAD played up to the label. The old demos everyone heard (the fast, dancey singles) were what I loved most about Klaxons. I know they can do other things, but the highlights of the album are clearly the old dance tracks.
The thing is, it looks like they've responded to the irritating label by filling the album with non-danceable tunes. I just don't think they're good enough.
This has always been Klaxons
they were never about rave. They're an indie pop band through and through.
I know this album will split people, but I love it. If you don't, write a user review dude.
I'm thinking of doing one.
I'm gonna do one for the College Magazine I think.
I'm not denying they've got talent, though. They've released probably the best single of 2006.
Test Icicles little brother
Reminds me of a nice version of Test Icicles (less gut’s, blood and balls), but with Good solid songs and party written all over it. definitely a Pill-thriller for the kids.
9/10
the re-recording of atlantis to interzone
is brilliant.
i think this is a really good album, alot of fun.
The new single
sounds like Hard-Fi. Boring.
If I Hear
people say this one more time, I'm liable to weild a sledgehammer
I shall buy this album
The end
but it does
a lot.
mmmmm....perspective
4 or 5 great tracks on this - even grumpy old me was taken aback but lots and lots of sub standard filler. so if we do ever get some perspective (like that ever happens) then its a worthwhile but flawed album -6 out of 10
it's pretty damn ace to be honest
don't tell anyone i've got it though, got an indie reputation to keep up..
League cup semi-final?
They have those two-legged with one at each team's ground and the FA cup has the neutral ones, surely.
I think you're all missing the point of this review...
what's wrong with Wetherspoons?
smelly old men.
other than that
nothing.
MONDAY CLUB!
...
he's right.
league cup semi final??
i shall be listening to this on the way to watch spurs beat the scum on wednesday night in the league cup semi final
I've
heard about the 1st half of the album. Its a nice little album. dancable and a bit fun, slightly different. not exactly best album ever or anything. I agree a bit with 'amputee-porn', DiS seem to give everything 9 out of 10 these days.
Disappointing
They had so much potential, but this album is stupidly disappointing. How you can give this a 9 is ridiculous..I don't know. The James Ford Sessions were amazing, and the tracks from that are the good tracks on the album. The rest of them are just lazy and dull. I can't believe they couldn't even be bothered to write new songs for this. How can they include songs as old Atlnatis, Gravity etc??? I would not pay money for this.
5 out of 10
9/10 lmao.
They should rename themselves the THE FILLERS..feel sorry for em really coz they have some ok singles but this album is weak.
when more than half the record sucks, the record sucks.
the majority of the record buying public
doesn't sit there all day downloading leaked demos and for a song to be as old as you're implying, the band would have to have been going longer than the 16 months they've actually existed.
you're a tit.
I like this.
I like you.
I was uneasy about
this album. I like klaxons and have xan valleys which is great, but I feared they might not have the variety and material to make a full length album that I could listen to in my room or on the street, even though they were great live. I might have to buy it now. Along with hella.
Hmmmmm
yeh after a few listens theres a couple weak songs (isle of her, forgotten works)
but the rest of it is pretty solid.
however nothing that we haven't been listenin to for the last year already.
I was hoping for a few new amazing tunes to rival the singles but it seems they've already released their best stuff
if i didnt know ne of this already it wud prob be 8/10
but id give it 7
9?
NINE?
If the quality throughout...
...had been on a par with the Xan Valleys EP, 9/10 for sure. The non-single stuff though is fairly standard pop - it's a 7/10 from me.
Still good though. And an ace live band.
this AND 'A Weekend In The City'..
Both get 9's? What's going on? The scores seem like knee-jerk reactions to DiS favourite bands releasing albums. I'm sure they did listen to the album before they reviewed them, but its hard to believe.
I like DiS but in future I will not be able to buy or listen to an album just on DiS's say so.
I feel a little let down *sniff*.
golden skans video
Is pretty hilarious. It's like...
"LOOK UPON MY INDIE POP SONG, YE MIGHTY, AND DESPAIR!"
As a slice of classic pop it's pretty good. Like a Double Whopper; tastes really good at the time but leaves you guilty as hell afterwards.
crap fi
Like a really bad version of Hard Fi on booze - awful band.
This is better than I thought it would be
I was expecting most of the songs to be like Atlantis To Interzone, with loads of squeaky bleeps that would annoy me after a while, and thankfully this is not the case. It has a slower, calmer sound, and I love it!
9? hmmm
Good record, if a slight letdown based on the early material from mid-2006, overly hyped? 7.5 if i could.
'not over yet' by grace is an effin tune!?!
i think nothing can compare to the orginal song 'not over yet' by grace- n the cover version wasnt the best!
however i love all thr other songs n know that this band will be here for a while...
their songs are unique in their on ways and are aimed at not any specific group of music lovers...
like me for example i love my dance/ indie/ old skool and i think the klaxons album is gr8...
we'll have to wait&see if their nxt album is just as good as this 1!
'not over yet' by grace is a effin tunee!?
i think nothing can compare to the orginal song 'not over yet' by grace- n the cover version wasnt the best!
however i love all thr other songs n know that this band will be here for a while...
their songs are unique in their on ways and are aimed at not any specific group of music lovers...
like me for example i love my dance/ indie/ old skool and i think the klaxons album is gr8...
we'll have to wait&see if their nxt album is just as good as this 1!
,
sori ive posted it twice! lol
alflavor speaks the truth
I look forward to the bargain bin sales in 4 months time and you lot all saying "Nah, I never liekd them in the first place..."
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