Bombay Bicycle Club

A Different Kind Of Fix

Written by: TL on 22/09/2011 00:05:14

Every day I'm shuffling. Indeed, and by that I mean 'listening to "Shuffle"', the first single from the new Bombay Bicycle Club album "A Different Kind Of Fix". The song has catapulted the English quartet into my awareness, and if you like bands like Frightened Rabbit, The Maccabees and/or Arcade Fire (and you should) then I advise that you let them enter your awareness as well! "A Different Kind Of Fix" is the band's third album in as many years (and the first one I've heard), and as I'm about to explain, there's no reason for you guys to not give it a whirl when you have time.

As you've probably already guessed from my early references, BBC (hmm, British band.. Coincidence?) can be pretty safely categorised as an indie-rock band, and while they do indeed sound quite a bit like Frightened Rabbit, The Maccabees and Arcade Fire, they also manage to earn themselves a dash of independent character here, by occasionally flirting with darker and 'colder' sounding guitars (think maybe the latest Raveonettes album "Raven In The Grave").

Point in case, check out track two, "Bad Timing", which immediately sets a nice contrast by following "How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep", which conversely sounds like waking up to a nice sunrise outside ones window. In honest, this light-weight, warm, bubbly style is the one dominant on the record, but already on the first half of the record, several songs show a desire to - very much like The Maccabees - let several different indie-trends drip into the expression. See for instance the lazy pop of "Lights Out, Words Gone", which is a bit like Two Door Cinema Club, while "Take The Right One" leans towards the distorted pop of Yuck and The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart.

The star of the show however is "Shuffle". The bouncy rhythm and quirky piano signature of which sweeps listeners off their feet so effectively and irresistibly that it instantly sticks to the mind and demands repeat spins for days after the initial encounter. It's the kind of devilish little tune that can make you forget yourself if you listen to it in public, soon having you bopping and dancing sillily despite yourself.

The downside to the song is, that it puts in sharp contrast the slightly less impactful nature of the other songs on the album. Like I've already mentioned, there's actually more than enough diversity that should keep you interested, but it's hard not to feel like "Shuffle" is the winner of the pack, and the rest requires you to invest more attention and offer you slightly less memorable rewards. If you can get around this, then "A Different Kind Of Fix" is a record that will likely entertain you for quite many spins, but if not, do still get hold of the highlight tracks and join me in hoping that the band gets even more consistent on their next album.

Download: Shuffle, How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep, What You Want
For The Fans Of: Frightened Rabbit, The Maccabees, Arcade Fire, Two Door Cinema Club, Foals
Listen: facebook.com/bombaybicycleclub

Release Date 26.08.2011
Island Records

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