Hailing from Marple, Stockport, The
Dutch Uncles have gone from
strength to strength since releasing their self-titled début in
2009. Now on album number three, entitled Out
of Touch in the Wild',
the band have obviously matured as musicians. The unusual time
signatures and progressive pop sounds that have become more and more
prominent through each album have become fully realised in an album
that can be considered for all intents and purposes, as beige. Sure
it's poppy, and it's danceable but rarely does a song stand out.
The
first two tracks on the album, 'Pondage' and 'Bellio' respectively,
are ode to the 80s in a way that really doesn't inspire much hope for
the rest of the album. Thankfully it takes a turn for the better
from the third track and first single 'Fester'. Sounding somethig
like Hot Chip the
track is bouncy yet mellow and a potential floor filler at any indie
club night around the country. The second single 'Flexxin' is another
note worthy track with a fantastic string sound accompanying a synth
that brings to mind 'Crystallised' by The XX.
The
mood of the album is considerably darker and in some instances,
sparser than previous efforts from the band, something which is
eerily suited to singer Duncan Wallis' polished vocals. That said
however, despite the talent each member possesses being audible in
each song, the production quality of the record is of standard so
high, so shiny and nuanced that it loses something, not necessarily
integrity but there's a certain lack of charm to something so
evidently produced and tampered with.
The
80s in general is obviously a huge influence on the band and is heard
throughout, perhaps most present in penultimate track 'Nometo'.
Thankfully the closing track 'Brio' has a bit more to it than the
majority of Out of
Touch...
does, with Wallis' vocal range extending to more than the effected
croon that punctuates that rest of the album.
It
is nice to hear a band from Manchester without a colloquial drawl to
their voices a lá Messrs Gallagher and Fray, but it's a shame that
it's polished to a blinding glint and has lost some of the charm that
featured on their earlier releases such as 'Face In'. Sure it's
expected that bands don't want to keep making the same music album
after album, but music should be about energy and passion and while
there's no doubt that there's lots of the former behind their
playing, the smooth edges of their sound allow it to wash over you
before fading in to the background.
Photo: Danny North/NME
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