_____________________________________________________________________________
::k4:
a r t i s t :: The Bronze Medal
t i t l e :: Darlings
d a t e :: 2016-00-00
l a b e l :: self
g e n r e :: Indie
s o u r c e :: WEB
b i t r a t e :: 238 kbps avg
e n c o d e r :: LAME 3.98.4 -V 0
t r a c k s :: 10
p l a y t i m e :: 48:28
s i z e :: 82.82MB
tracklist
1 Tunnel 4:42
2 Walls 4:57
3 Room & Wine 4:12
4 Thought We'd Have It Good 4:06
5 High Fever 5:14
6 Life Plans 4:32
7 From The Stairs 5:07
8 Darlings 6:34
9 Largo 5:18
10 Blood (Bonus Track) 3:46
releasenotes
ggy Pop's John Peel lecture about how to succeed in today's music business was
fascinating for two reasons: the first was, of course, his hair. I mean, did
you see that hair? My God, it was as if he had gone back to 1997, stolen onto
the set of Friends and scalped Jennifer Aniston in front of a live studio
audience. Screw car insurance, the man should be advertising L'OrΘal! But even
more fascinating than his miracle barnet was the conclusion he drew after an
hour of musing on the nature of artist profit and the public consumption of
music. His advice to young bands? "Just keep going; you will, eventually, get
paid." That perhaps places too much faith in the industry, which Iggy admits
has not exactly been unkind to him - but it is sound in its way. The fact that
it takes longer than ever for musicians to actually hit paydirt for their art
means that they have to really, really want it; and, more importantly, be able
to want it for a long time.
The Bronze Medal have been inadvertently taking Iggy's advice for a while now.
A going concern for over five years, they have thus far released a smattering
of singles and last year's Bronze Medal EP. Tellingly, none of those songs
make it on to Darlings, their debut album - not because they are in any way
inferior, but because this record works so well as its own entity.
Darlings was recorded and produced in Iceland with Valgeir Sigurdsson, who has
previously worked with Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Damon Albarn and Sigur R≤s. It
sounds gorgeous. Swelling brass arrangements reminiscent of Efterklang; crisp,
bright guitar lines (particularly on standout track 'High Fever') and
glittering piano flourishes all contribute to a feeling of warmth, of safety.
I can't remember the last time I heard a record so comforting. Opening track
'Tunnel' segues into 'Walls' and nicely showcases two sides of the band: the
gentle build and lithe chorus of the former, the busy drums and insistence of
the latter.
Influences are easy to spot, but just as easily transcended. The National,
Frightened Rabbit and The Remote Part-era Idlewild all seem to be key
inspirations, but crucially The Bronze Medal don't rest too heavily on them;
Darlings is sonically quite busy, restless, always looking for the next
ear-pleasing detail. The showpiece track 'Darlings', at six-and-a-half
minutes, could be a slog, but such is the band's skill at arrangement that it
never treads water, patiently introducing and removing layers before a
cymbal-crashing release.
For a band who have been criticised in the past for being a trifle too patient
in their approach, Darlings delivers payoff after payoff without sacrificing
the tension and build of their earlier releases. Occasionally it can feel a
little too mannered, but that is a minor quibble. This is the sound of a band
brimming with confidence and now entirely at ease with their sound. They have
lived in it for a long time, and they believe in it. You should too.
Shop & band url: https://bit.ly/2OslWRR
_____________________________________________________________________________
The_Bronze_Medal-Darlings-WEB-2016-k4