Turin Brakes Album: “Ether Song [Limited]”

I had never heard of Turin Brakes before the Astralwerks newsletter I receive in my e-mail began promoting their latest CD, "Ether Song". I decided to listen to their single, "Pain Killer (Summer Rain)" and I was ready to crown it as the best summer song of 2003. Now that I own the album, my opinion still stands, but "Ether Song" is packed with other great songs. Unfortunately, there's nothing on the album that's as immediately catchy as "Pain Killer", but that's rarely a bad thing. I prefer an album that grows on you than one that gets tiring after a few listens. "Blue Hour" is a nice build-up introduction to the album, while the short and sweet "Average Man" establishes Turin Brakes excellent songwriting abilites. "Long Distance" and "Self Help" are nice rockers while "Falling Down" bring in the electronics for a nice, ambient tune. There are some interestingly experimental songs on here, most notably the claustrophobic "Panic Attack". I really like the only real hard rocker on here, "Little Brother", for it's smooth percussion-less bridge before jumping right back into its addictive melody. The final song, "Rain City", is another gorgeously acoustic endeavor pocketed with synth bleeps in the background (to simulate raindrops, I suppose). Wait awhile for the hidden title track, "Ether Song". It's a very good song with a fascinating buildup, but I get real tired of people hiding songs two or three minutes after the last track. It doesn't make it worth fast-forwarding on your CD player every time you want to hear it.

Anyway, I'd like to talk about the bonus disc. US record label Astralwerks likes to put bonus songs onto UK discs released here in the States to make picky consumers more likely to buy them. This time around, they've added a four-track bonus disc of demos and alternate studio sessions for "Blue Hour", "Self Help", "Long Distance" and a new song, "Bright Golden Lights". I would say they're not worth your time, but, hey, they're free, so they're pretty good. Also on the bonus disc is an enhanced CD-ROM with a video EPK (Electronic Press Kit) showing how they made the album, how it compares with their last CD, "The Optimist", and a pretty cool bit about how they shot the album cover. All the footage is interspersed with impressive concert footage.

Turin Brakes have done what few bands have been able to do (and those that did - Coldplay, U2, etc. clearly hold some influence over this London duo). They have produced a "Sophmore Rise", a second album which trumps their first by far. This album is catchy, compelling, edgy, and modern yet soulful. I really can't find enough good things to say about this album. Standout tracks to listen to include "Self Help", "Pain Killer (Summer Rain)", and "Falling Down" for you mellow types. The lyrical topics are fresh and the music is wholly original - you have to hear it to believe it. Also, I saw them live on tour w/ David Gray this summer and I can confirm that they really have this talent in person. I hope these guys garner a following in the US. They deserve a breakout.

After randomly picking up this album in a Cambridge record store, I was pleasantly surprised to recognize this band from a cut off their first album, "Underdog (Save Me)." The appealing melody that first made me get that song stuck in my head (in a good way) are just as present on this second release. Laid-back acoustics give way to sparse poetry and an still under-packaged subtlety that had me listening over and over. Their sound is consistent, with new attempts at adding some studio beats to refreshingly rock-solid musicianship. "Self Help" and "Little Brother" may not be the released singles, but the (once again) more subtle lyrics Turin Brakes occasionally hits on begin to tell their own stories in these tracks. Much of the album is keenly atmospheric, while listening to moodier tracks like "Full of Stars" just makes you want to sing along--if only to join in the soulfulness this artistic duo brings to their latest work.

I don't want to spend much time talking about the album. Personally, I think it is excellent, sort of a cross between the Beta Band (minus the eccentric weirdness) and the undeniable tunefulness of Coldplay. I've scarcely been able to get it out of my cd player. ...