The Bishops: For Now
The Bishops: For Now
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Friday, 27, Feb 2009 02:09
W2 Records, out March 2nd.
In a nutshell...
British rock sans frills
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What's it all about?
The sophomore album by the London trio features 11 tracks that sample a variety of songs that all have a bare rock sound as their base, yet diversifies through the collection as harmonic, acoustic, and jazz infusions find themselves sneaking within the playlist.
Who's it by?
The Bishops consist of twin brothers Mike and Pete Bishop on guitar and bass, while Chris McConville joins in on the drums. The band formed after meeting at the pub where they all worked, The Kings Head, in Barbican. Since 2004, the band have released several singles and toured across the UK and Europe.
As an example...
"Thinking about how it went it wrong/ Not as easy as it seems/ Think about it in my dreams/ Nothing I can do or say will get you back again/ Nothing I can do to persuade will get you back again." - Nothing I Can Do Or Say
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
Slim to none. While the collection is definitely worth a listen, and it can be assumed that it would be a good live experience, there is something lacking and something missing that would enable this band to reach a larger success like the many bands out there that carry a similiar rock sound. There's nothing idiosyncratic enough to enable them to reach this massive a level of acclaim and success.
So is it any good?
The album is an interesting one. While some of the songs blend together and don't make themselves very unique or memorable, there are other songs upon this CD that more than make up for this. It sounds 'indie' in the sense that it doesn't sound like heavy production went into the recording of this album as the sound is very bare. While this does not work with every song, it does help to develop others on the collection and makes them stronger. For instance, He Was a Friend of Mine, with its acoustic melody and simplicity shines, and the summery beats of the first single If You Leave Today can make you smile despite the upsetting lyrics that accompany it.
The closing song on the album, Carry On, gives hope for further productions from the Bishops, as it offers a variety of influences from jazz to rock to tiny traces of ska.
In general, it's worth a listen and a try, and the songs upon the collection complement each other, but there is a missing piece that leaves the listener uneasy.
6/10
Valerie Haberman