Returning with their fourth studio album So Long See You Tomorrow, Bombay Bicycle Club have proved once again that thoughtful guitar music doesn’t have to be bland.
It’s been a long three years since the band’s last album and the void they’ve left has been clear. For those who didn’t catch them the first time around, Bombay Bicycle Club are a bit like a thinking person’s Bastille. Without them, every festival line-up has been that little bit worse; every extra hour of work that little bit quieter without new material to listen to.
So Long See You Tomorrow solves that problem, to an extent. From the off it goes in a different direction reflecting, perhaps, the 18 months the Crouch End band took to record it. ‘Overdone’ is a bit growlier than we’ve heard Jack Steadman before, whereas ‘Luna’ goes completely into Mystery Jets territory with percussion and synth. The same elements from the past are there too though, with female backing vocals and the type of captivating bassline that was so effective on ‘Always Like This’.
They don’t quite manage to recreate the infectious hooks of debut I Had the Blues But I Shook Them Loose, but then it’s not as subdued as follow-up Flaws either. Third track ‘Carry Me’ (the lead single from the album, released late last year) demonstrates that the Arcade Fire aren’t the only band taking notes from James Murphy, the LCD Soundsystem distorted bass and high pitched synth mixture being out in full force.
The softer influences are not completely gone but, with ‘Eyes Off You’ in particular, it’s more of a lamenting croon than a folky ballad. After a strong opening and middle section the album tails off a little towards the end, although closing track ‘So Long See You Tomorrow’ rounds things off nicely with a frenetic and rousing finish.
In all, it’s a good album which is bound to grown on you each time you listen to it. It’s 8/10 from us for Bombay Bicycle Club!
So Long See You Tomorrow was released on February 4th on Vagrant Records.
Buy So Long, See You Tomorrow by Bombay Bicycle Club from iTunes!
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