The forerunners of shoegaze????
This is one where persistence really pays off. The thick, swirling, dreamy waves of guitar are prominent on each of Strange Free World's 10 songs and this can be extremely overwhelming on the first listen. However, there are a selection of more immediate, striking numbers within the haze such as Railwayed, Quick As Rainbows and Drive That Fast that will keep drawing you back in and you gradually fall under the spell of the album's remaining tracks.
Each massive swirl of the oceanic Hypnogogic and Aspray and the sharper, angrier edges of Polaroids will all become the best kind of ear candy, as well as the soundtrack to a perfect summer afternoon view Under The Sky, Inside The Sea. Matures like a good wine and there are no poor or uninspired tracks. For me, this is their best record. (followed by The Death Of Cool which is probably even more of a grower!) If you love to hear how the electric guitar can re-invent itself and tear up the rulebook then give this a go.
A great record.
Railwayed
Quick as Rainbows
Hypnogogic
He Holds Her, He Needs Her
Polaroids
Gorgeous Love
Aspray
Drive That Fast
Within the Daze of Passion
Under the Sky, Inside the Sea
Thanks for this.
ReplyDeleteI'm a massive....nay fanatical fan of 80's Manchester band The Chameleons & in reviews KOD often used to crop up as a band influenced by The Chameleons.
I bought one of their albums (Love is Hell) from ebay in the early 2000's & bar one superb track 'The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule' I was left disappointed.
I will definitely give this one a listen.
Oops.....not from that link I won't!
ReplyDeletetry now :) link updated
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for this post.
ReplyDeleteI have been hammering this cd all week & love it. The Chameleons references make much more sense with this album (not that it's anything more than a similarity here & there) & IMO this is much better than Love is Hell.
I have just downloaded your recent Slowdive post too, as I was so into the whole Madchester scene in the early 90's, that alot of the Shoe gaze bands passed me by........I will report back on that one too!