Corrections: Repeat After Me
Tuesday, 08 Jul 2008 11:20
Corrections: Repeat After Me
EMI out now.
In a nutshell...
Innovative genre-bending sound
What's it all about?
Eleven tracks of experimental thoughtful indie-rock driven in equal measures by guitars and electro beats. Straddling a number of genres, the record includes singles OCD and Barcode.
Who's it by?
Despite Repeat After Me being the Corrections' first album, the group have previously toured under the name of the Fallout Trust releasing a bunch of EPs and 2006 album In Case Of The Flood of which the single When We Are Gone hit the top 75. However, ahead starting work on the new album Repeat After Me and departure of keyboarder/violinist Jess Winter the London/Bristol-based indie group decided to rebrand themselves as the Corrections.
The band consists of brothers Joe and Matt Winter (lead vocalist and guitarist respectfully), drummer Matt Watson, guitarist Guy Connelly and bass-player Gavin Ellis. In the past they have toured with the Caesars, yourcodenameis:milo and Make Model.
As an example...
"I had a dream once/I got trapped in my own heart." - Barcode
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
Unlikely, but stand a good chance of picking up some new fans and hopefully their willingness to try something different will be lauded by the rock press.
What the others say
"The Corrections seem to have single-handedly given hope to indie bands everywhere, showing that, not for want of trying, the indie scene hasn't entirely disappeared up its own arse." - MusicOMH.com
"This is a likeable but underwhelming album: Coldplay won't lose any sleep." - BBC
So is it any good?
Although changing their name and seeing their numbers fall from six to five, not too much is different with the latest offering from the group compared to In Case Of The Flood. This is no bad thing. From the driving The Wind Is Wild and catchy OCD, Repeat After Me - like its predecessor - draws on influences ranging from the Beatles and Arcade Fire to David Bowie and Hope of the States to create a record that is intelligent and innovative yet surprisingly accessible. Imagine a poppier, slightly more upbeat Radiohead and that's a rough idea of the Corrections' album.
Meanwhile, the spiking guitars of Barcode help to create what is possibly their best single yet, while I Won't Leave If I Don't Leave Now finishes on an atmospheric yet slightly sub-par close.
Despite the pop sensibilities of tracks such as The Lighthouse and OCD, its hard to see this band challenging the en vogue indie groups although they have ten times the talent and ideas of many of the chancers currently taking up space in the charts.
It seems that the Corrections have made an album that is almost too clever to be fully appreciated by the mainstream and instead will be revered by a select few. They may not shift the millions of records that their label mates at EMI have but that hasn't stopped the Corrections from releasing one of the most innovative records from a British band of recent months.
8.5/10
Ashley King
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