Customer Reviews

Bahama

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Out of Creation and onto Poptones, the label with `deep pockets and short arms,' Bahama marks the return of that band named after a dog. Who did the song about the rabbit.

With Arnold, you can be pretty sure you will be getting dysfunction, twisted lyrics and some gorgeous guitars. From the shredded Gilmour Strat moments of opener Climb to the dense John Fry acoustics of closer Pavey Ark, these are tales of relationships that are stretched taut as those guitar strings, and others that are loose as usher's ties after a booze-soaked wedding. "I don't know which one is really you, but I love the two," claims Tiny Car, before wandering off fluttering quartertones. Cute as all hell.

Then there's the sublime single Oh My ("Days never end, 300 days of July") and you remember that this is a band formed after the death of a good friend. There is something almost recklessly sad about the Arnold sound, but their attitude towards actual depression is a robust 'been there, done that' (Boo You). They have also let some late summer sunshine in on these recordings. Some of the details are positively jaunty (the gay music teacher in Jus de Lune, the Sowetan filigree guitarwork in Easy), and this time the band doesn't sound as if it might fall apart halfway through each tune, as on 1998's The Hillside Album. More immediate and concise than that record, Bahama harks back to the band's mini debut The Barn Tapes. In today's market of 74-minute sprawlers, this barely makes it through the 40 minute mark, including the `hidden' tracks at the end. Here the mood goes kind of s*p*a*c*e*y. There's even a strange awestruck gospel shuffle (Please) that rents a room to Dillard & Clark, Exile-era Stones and Spiritualized and just lets God sort it out.

Alternatively, you could buy it just for the bonus track, Evermore for Evermore. It's that good.

Out of Creation and onto Poptones, the label with `deep pockets and short arms,' Bahama marks the return of that band named after a dog. Who did the song about the rabbit.

With Arnold, you can be pretty sure you will be getting dysfunction, twisted lyrics and some gorgeous guitars. From the shredded Gilmour Strat moments of opener Climb to the dense John Fry acoustics of closer Pavey Ark, these are tales of relationships that are stretched taut as those guitar strings, and others that are loose as usher's ties after a booze-soaked wedding. "I don't know which one is really you, but I love the two," claims Tiny Car, before wandering off fluttering quartertones. Cute as all hell.

Then there's the sublime single Oh My ("Days never end, 300 days of July") and you remember that this is a band formed after the death of a good friend. There is something almost recklessly sad about the Arnold sound, but their attitude towards actual depression is a robust 'been there, done that' (Boo You). They have also let some late summer sunshine in on these recordings. Some of the details are positively jaunty (the gay music teacher in Jus de Lune, the Sowetan filigree guitarwork in Easy), and this time the band doesn't sound as if it might fall apart halfway through each tune, as on 1998's The Hillside Album. More immediate and concise than that record, Bahama harks back to the band's mini debut The Barn Tapes. In today's market of 74-minute sprawlers, this barely makes it through the 40 minute mark, including the `hidden' tracks at the end. Here the mood goes kind of s*p*a*c*e*y. There's even a strange awestruck gospel shuffle (Please) that rents a room to Dillard & Clark, Exile-era Stones and Spiritualized and just lets God sort it out. Yup, it's that good.

Take radiohead and coldplay and put them in a blender and you get Arnold. Not as consistent as those acts listed above, but a great band nonetheless.

I loved Arnold's last album,Hillside,especially the cut,"Windsor Park",so when i heard a new Arnold song on the radio here on KCRW in L.A. I couldn't wait till the album was found.At first listening I let "Bahama" wash in one ear and out the other like a dip in the sea it was refreshing but left me strangely unmoved.It wasn't until I finally copped a buzz and put on the headfones in preparation for their first upcoming Los Angeles gigs that I finally swooned.Thank God for headphones!What sounded somewhat pale and fluffy before took on a new meaning.I could hear the breathy power in the over dubbed vocals,the mysterious lyrics like a sunnier version of The Church.And an overall end of summer- end of youth saddess that moved me almost to blubber mode-(the true stamp of excellence in my book)And just when you're watching the countdown to the last cut-and hoping it won't ever end-it doesn't! The last cut goes on and on, stopping and starting again with different permutations of beauty.Thanks for that guys!
I really can't wait for this weeks' Westcoast debut I'll be there ready to drink in the melancholy wine that is Arnold!

This album was released towards the very end of last year in the U.K.It got really great reviews in the music press and it may even have entered the various albums of the year lists only for the fact it was released so late on.Arnold are on Alan McGee's latest 'Poptones' label,which seems to be amassing an impressive list of new trendy bands.Except Arnold can hardly be described as a new band.They were signed by McGee before when he owned 'Creation' records-they achieved very little successs on this label as the companies major time and resouces seemed to be spent on his other better known projects such as Primal Scream and Oasis.In many ways I liken this group to Shack-who after many misfortunes released a fine album with H.M.S. Fable.The music isn't too dissimilar either.You could also add certain hints of Travis and Doves if you wanted to define Arnold's sound.The tracks do feature a mix of gentle laidback acoustic flavoured moods,yet they also mix in some louder and more up-beat sounds also.While it may not be the greatest album you'll hear this year,there are quite a few outstanding tracks.The opening track does as the title suggests "Climb".From a quiet and unassuming beginning this track gathers momentum with it's mix of slide and acoustic guitars.Gentle,understated harmonies that climb to an almost full scale falsetto.One of the groups strong point is the versatility of the lead vocalist.The second track is an irresistible mix of loud and quiet.The verses of gentle rhythm guitars get constantly interupted by a loud and brash thrashing of guitars.If you're into good vocals this album is a dream-there's great variety from high to low and some of the harmonies are quite unusual encompassing a wide range of styles.Another highlight of the album is track 4 "Jus De Lune"-great acoustic,backed up by a whirling organ-more harmonies in the vocals.It's a real relaxing late night track!As this album goes on it seems to slow down-track 5 "Oh My"-sounds like a louder then usual Turin Brakes.The vocals veer between a full falsetto to being almost whispered.This track is a real grower.There's a Smiths feel to the guitars in track 6-which is a really short song-regrettably so.The latter songs are not as good as the opening ones.Most of the tracks are between 2/3 minutes except for the last one which goes on for 15 minutes!This represents more then a third of the album-which sort of gives the whole thing an unbalanced fell to it.It does go on a bit!