Music Review

03 December 2008 05:52 BST

Orson: Culture Vultures

Mercury, out October 22nd.

In a nutshell...

Catchy. Energetic. Bright. Insightful. Pop-rock.

<What's it all about?

Orson would need a 15 metre pole vault to get over the wall of expectations that arose after their hit single, No Tomorrow, got played into the ground over the summer. Culture Vultures sounds very similar to their debut, Bright Idea, so don't expect to be blown away by how far they've come along. Nonetheless, the album features some incredibly reliable hooks that you will surely hear at your friend's next house party. The question, then, is whether this will give them enough momentum to keep them on the charts for more than a few months.

Who's it by?

Orson formed in Los Angeles in 2000, received little attention as they toured around the area until they got a break in the UK in 2005. The band is, strangely, named after Orson Welles, which has compelled them to perform in vintage suits and brimmed hats. Singer Jason Pebworth delivers catchy, party-inspired choruses and some clever lyrics, while the rest of the band come on with typical rock riffs, and driving bass lines.

As an example…

"It doesn't rock/it doesn't roll/Is there something wrong with the radio?" - Radio

"Cool cops only wanna be around/The million pound indie sound" -Cool Cops

Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys

So far, the critics seem disappointed with the release, although it has received moderate play on the airwaves. There are more than a few single-worthy tracks on this album; however, I doubt that any of them will be enough to propel them to a second Brit-award, much less a Grammy. It will be interesting to see how the public reacts to this one though.

What the others say

"Now that they've arrived the big question was always going to be whether they could maintain the momentum and, on the evidence of sophomore release Culture Vultures, it appears not." - indieLondon

"Not quite as good as Bright Idea but a bloody good effort, if you liked Bright Idea then buy it!!" - Post on Play.com

So is it any good?

As a follow up to Bright Idea, it really isn't much of a progression in any sense. But at the same time, it is clearly a well put together rock album. It starts off well with Radio, Ain't No Party, and Broken Watch, and then begins to lag in the middle with the lethargic power ballad Where You Are, only to come back strongly at the end with Cool Cops and Everybody! Many of the songs feel like an updated, mash-up of different artists from the last quarter century - there are so many, I can't quite pin them all down - a little Sum 41 here, a little Aerosmith there and some Stones for good measure. This is not to say, though, that it's not good - indeed, it is phenomenally catchy, definitely danceable, and interesting to listen to.

My main critique is that the album feels long, repetitive and needs more diversity; for example, it could easily have done without tracks such as Little Miss Lost & Found and Northern Girl and the album would have been just as good, if not better. The former is packed with Beach Boy harmonies, but is somewhat boring and lacks the feeling of the other tracks, while the latter is like a modern remake of The Police's Roxanne, but without Sting's impeccable falsetto to prop it up.

Orson risks becoming a victim of their own critique of contemporary music culture - rock and roll is dying, and they may die with it. It feels as though Orson is trying to revive the heady heights of rock 'n' roll with songs like Radio, but I'm afraid it might be akin to giving CPR to a paraplegic. Pebworth is right to muse: "I wonder if the good old days are really gone... " I'm sure Pebworth would agree with me when I say that I hope they are not. But, in any case, the success of this album will be a good litmus test on the future of rock and roll.

b>7/10

Spencer Thanhouser