No Need To Be Downhearted

Electric Soft Parade | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 24, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Better Looking
• ASIN: B000NQR7T8
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #98,485 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Thomas and Alex Wright, the brothers who formed Electric Soft Parade are unmistakably fond of guitars and keyboards braiding melodies in crafty twists, as they do throughout No Need to be Downhearted. Acoustic guitars, bells, and keys open "Shore Song Surfacing," while the brothers harmonize languorously, capturing a mix of pop and art not unlike the Beta Band and Super Furry Animals. Melodies emerge from shadows throughout Downhearted, from the plugged-in, clipped-riffs of "Life in the Backseat" to the lo-fi acoustic latticework of "Secrets," which sports this beaten-down lyric: "Keep your feelings well hid / They'll only get trodden on." Perhaps the subtle emergence of tunes is super-intentional, meant to mirror the band's lyrical fixation on isolation and alienation ("I wanna get rid of this feeling / I wanna be a part of everything / Like the way it all should be," goes the opening of "Cold World Starry Nite #1"). With the band's expert harmonies and crisp, economical use of guitar distortion along with keyboards, the cumulative impact is otherwise delightful, leading to head nods even while the Wrights sing from the fringes, from which they’re trying to step forward. --Andrew Bartlett

Product Description

Their highly-anticipated full-length is epic and adventurous while retaining its pop shimmer. It follows their 2002 debut "Holes In The Wall", the 2003 release of "The American Adventure", and "The Human Body" EP, the latter of which was a perfect mid-point between their previous efforts and a teaser of greater things to come. With this new record they're at it again, this time as space-age power-balladeers and digital terrorist rockers.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, Upbeat, Unpredictable Brit-Pop, May 12, 2007

By 

Keith Shelton "Keith" (Commerce, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Need To Be Downhearted (Audio CD)

Having heard the band name, but having never heard their music I had no idea what to expect upon popping in the 3rd release [First one released in the US] from ESP. After a somber opener, this album explodes in one of the best, funnest tracks I've heard this year, if not the last 5 years. "Living In The Backseat" with its awesome chord progressions, fuzzy guitars and superb buildup, this track could absolutely own alternative radio and I have no idea why its not getting any exposure.

Living In The Backseat sets the tone for the rest of album. This band really sets themselves apart from the pack because they have amazing songwriting ability. Only a couple of the tracks sound like processed manufactured pop, the rest of the album is a surprise, a burst of sunshine in a mostly dull music year. If I had to compare the band to anyone, it would be Electric Light Orchestra. I'd guess they're a pretty big influence for ESP, particularly tracks like "Mr. Blue Sky"
but if you're a fan of dreamy, bouncy, psychadelic brit pop, you will LOVE this album. From the dreamy "Woken By A Kiss" to the spacey "If That's The Case, Then I Don't Know" this is maybe the album of the year thus far.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Focused., June 6, 2007

By 

The Coz "Coz" (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Need To Be Downhearted (Audio CD)

Die hard fans, annoying little buggers, are going to whine that they've lost alot of their 'edge'. But Electric Soft Parade have finally decided to drop the whole "Hey...Try and enjoy this average music listener" and adopt a more listener friendly sound.

They have crafted a lush and melody heavy pop record. Fantastically instrumented and played. It even takes a few turns into ambient noise pop. But really it's just another in a growing line of stubborn indie bands looking at pop music and saying "I can do better than that!" And then "GASP!" actually delivering. Get it, enjoy it. Your girlfriend will love it.

5.0 out of 5 stars great new stuff, November 11, 2009

By 

H. Rogers (Phoenix,AZ USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: No Need To Be Downhearted (Audio CD)

I like to check out new bands- and this is one that really blew my mind- great stuff elo-pnk floy- supertramp updated to 2009.