Johnny Foreigner - Grace and the Bigger Picture
Some bands don't grow. Some don't even evolve. Sometimes that's not a bad thing.
Johnny Foreigner emerged last year with their sound half formed, but fully formed, squalling guitars propelled along by drums going that bit too fast, vocals straining to keep with the beat. They were a band meant to be heard in tiny venues, where the sweat from the singer's brow would drip into your over appreciative face.
Much like their debut, there's too much here to take in on the first listen to Grace and the Bigger Picture. Songs bludgeon you, their subtleties lost the first couple of times around, until their thrills are revealed, eventually. First single
'Criminals' is probably the most immediate of all, a summer song for long car drives to an overcast shingle beach.
The boy/girl vocal interplay is as thrilling as ever, with Alexei's louche scattermouth duelling with Kelly's smooth croon. Some slower songs are scattered throughout, giving rare respite from the intensity. 'Illchoosemysideandshutup, Alright' and '(Graces)', both let you breathe, briefly.
Soon it all comes crashing back in, 'Dark Harbourzz' writhes around, restless youths with attention deficit shouting for your attention, for you to follow them. Fun awaits.
'More Tongue, Less Heart' is different from all of that, drums phasing in and out, guitars crescendoing over a piano sample. It's almost post rock. They're still a young band, but 'Custom Scenes And The Parties That Made Them' shows a growing maturity, honed on the band's endless touring of toilet venues. It's an approach that's built a loyal base that this album should see them expand on. Not many people should be able to resist 'Feels Like Summer'.
Maybe at 15 tracks it's overlong. The breaks between the loud and the quiet on 'More Heart, Less Tongue' are just too visible. It doesn't work. Maybe if Johnny Foreigner release another album like this, people will get bored. Certainly this lack of development over three albums (an arbitrary demarcation point, but one that holds for now) would suggest a lack of ideas. Some bands don't grow. Some don't even evolve. Sometimes that's not a bad thing.
Subscribe to the Clickmusic News Feed
