Guillemots’ gloriously unhinged, Mercury-nominated debut Through The Window Pain hinted at a startling blend of post-punk exploration and Brian Wilson-ish orchestral nous. Unfortunately, something’s gone seriously wrong with album number two, which sees Fyfe Dangerfield’s quartet bluster through a ghastly take on 1980s style power pop (think It Bites, think Johnny Hates Jazz).
Amid the thumpy rave drums and those oriental string stabs that the Chemical Brothers used on “Galvanize”, only two songs are halfway memorable: “Falling Out Of Reach” (which might make a nice Leo Sayer ballad) and “Take Me Home” (which lifts the first seven notes of Barry Manilow’s “Mandy”). A huge disappointment.
JOHN LEWIS
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