Album Reviews: Bombay Bicycle Club – Flaws
Bombay Bicycle Club. This London based indie outfit consists of Jack Steadman (vocals, guitar, banjo, xylophone), Jamie MacColl (lead guitar, backing vocals, banjo), Ed Nash (bass, keyboard, backing vocals, mandolin), and Suren de Saram (drums, backing vocals, guitar). The band is currently signed to Island Records (UK). With colorful guitar hooks and mellowed out vocals, BBC is everything that one could ask for in a typical indie or low-fi band. Think Mike Kinsella, but backed by Tokyo Police Club. This band is easy on the ears from the first listen, but writes with enough depth to leave you wanting more.
On July 12, 2010, the band released their sophomore album simply entitled “Flaws”. The album was a swift departure from their previous work, as it was comprised entirely of acoustic songs. Some covers, some originals, and some revisits of their own material, “Flaws” was met with mixed reviews among critics. Given the bands previous history of ambient electric sounds, a wholly acoustic release was more or less a leap of faith. As it stands alone, this album has a great feel to it, reminding me more of folksy acts like Iron and Wine and M. Ward. That being said, it takes a whole new direction than anything they have released before. As with any major change, this album was met with both love and hate. How will it stack up? I’ll let you be the judge.
This album has a very relaxed feel to it, and consequently lends itself well to first time listens. Songs like “Many Ways” and “Ivy & Gold” leave me unknowingly whistling their catchy melodies for hours after each listen. None of the tracks run much longer than 4 minutes and they all generally blend well together. This album does a good job of employing the full potential of an “acoustic album”. It offers catchy acoustic guitar hooks and soft snare beats, but also employs the banjo, xylophone, mandolin, and even the occasional keyboard. It offers a full band feel, but still retains the unplugged sound that BBC sought to create. The vocal delivery of Jack Steadman mixes very well with an acoustic sound, and album as a whole begs to be listened to several times in order to encompass all of it’s subtle nuances. Whether you are a relative newcomer to the indie scene or a seasoned veteran, “Flaws” has plenty to offer.
The cons for this album are ones that may be commonly noticed among acoustic albums. Mainly, some of the songs sound a little same-y. Although it is quite a common theme among such albums, I feel like there was more that this album could have offered. While some songs stuck out vividly, others seemed to be mere skeletons in comparison. Ideas that could have and should have been expanded upon, but then again there is only so much that one can do under the pretense of an “all acoustic” album. With only two LPs, one would presume that BBC will make a return to their electric sound, which leaves to question how well this album will be remembered among their other work. Overall, it has a great sound, and great potential, but there are a few loose ends that need tying up.
“Flaws” is a solid, admirable effort from the London indie rockers. It has plenty of aesthetic charm, but still has enough depth to warrant multiple visits. Judging this album standing alone, I would say that it is a very good album, however it should be noted that a decent portion of BBC’s fanbase was less than satisfied with this bands new direction. I personally enjoyed it, but it’s all a matter of personal preference. All in all, this album is definitely worth a listen.
