Search - Aberfeldy :: Do Whatever Turns You On

Do whatever turns it on!

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 08/03/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Aberfeldy is one of those glorious little bands in the shadow of their countrymen -- it must be tough to make lovely pop music when you have to compete with Belle and Sebastian and Camera Obscura, and even similar-sounding bands like the Magic Numbers.



But Aberfeldy hold their own with "Do Whatever Turns You On," their follow-up to twee masterpiece "Young Forever." This time around, the band tries a steelier approach to their music, with more polish, without losing the bittersweet charm that made "Young Forever" such an entrancing pop album.



It opens with "If Then," a glockenspiel pop tune of irresistable simplicity and upbeat that harkens back to their early sound. Just call it a bridge between the first album and this one. "If you stick with me/then there will definitely be happy ever after," Riley Briggs assures us, also adding that, "if the world gets on without us, fine!"



That sound trails over into the second song, but then Briggs and Co. explore some newer sounds, like some cheesy 1980s retro melodies (are those Devo influences I hear?), solid power-pop, soft songs that explode into masses of synth, and summery, sunny, 60s-style pop songs that just avoid being sugary sweet, by having dark, sardonic lyrics.



In this album, Aberfeldy has lost a bit of their lo-fi quirk, and gained new recording polish. Oh yeah, and the cover has the band, and not lions in flagrante delicto. But fortunately, neither of those things have the slightest effect on how delightful "Do Whatever Turns You On" ends up being.



The tunes are kept alive with shining keyboard, explosions of synth, loads of shimmering glockenspiel and enchanting harmonies. It's a very summery album, at least on the musical scale, although they do dip into downbeat territory by the final song. It doesn't fit the rest of the album, but every song up until then will be addictive.



The lyrics are what keep the pop confections from seeming too sunny. There's a the cynical streak that runs just under the surface, with Briggs taking little diggs at the easily successful, as well as meditations on love, disillusionment, individuality, and people who waste their own talents.



There's even a dig at retro ("You dress as if/it was the 1970s/you say, `that's heavy'/but you don't know what it means!"), heavy on the irony, and a defiant proclaimation about talent ("The talent I was given/to keep inside would be criminally wrong...") It adds a bittersweet edge to straightforwardly sweet music, and adds wonderful depth to their sound.



Addictive and infectious, Aberfeldy tries out some new musical styles with solid results. Do whatever turns you on!"

Solid effort

M. Lohrke | Provo, UT | 07/27/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"it must be difficult living in the shadows of country-mates belle and sebastian and camera obscura. such is aberfeldy's plight. i think it's fairly safe to say the b&s and camera obscura have all but cornered the market on pleasant, scottish pop. but if there's any justice in the world, aberfeldy will surely get there dues. and if they do, it will be in large part due to a distinct shift in sound.



aberfeldy's first album 'young forever' was, for all intents and purposes, an attempt to follow in b&s's footsteps. it was full of fairly polite, mid-tempoed acoustic pop. by the second track on the new album, 'hypnotised,' you realize aberfeldy's embraced electric guitars, cheeky synth lines, and a more energetic vocal style. if there's a clear winner on the album, it is 'hynotised' -- a melodic, energetic, hands-in-the-air anthem perfect for driving down the road at 80 miles per hour.



aberfeldy's new direction for the most part succeeds quite well. 'uptight,' with it's curiously 80's keyboard blips strays dangerously close to 80's cheese when the chorded synth chords in the chorus, but the vocals save it from failure. the harmonies are great. '1970's' is another rollicking number full of lots of energy and drive. the album's titular track and 'let down' are two more fine examples of aberfeldy's new-found directness.



if there is a problem with the album, it's that it does sound maybe a bit too retro, and dated, for it's own good. it's an album does sound a bit out of time and place, and i don't know if in five years, or even two or three, the album will sound like an relic from some bygone era. that's not necessarily a criticism, however. the songs might just stand the test time and prove to sound just as enegetic a few years down the road as they do now.



it seems that aberfeldy's found their footing. they've ditched the twee and gone a more rocking direction. in this case, i think it's a wise move. 'do whatever turns you on,' maybe a mantra aberfeldy adopted while recording this album -- making the album they really wanted to -- is a fine record and futher proof that the best music around these days comes from the other side of the pond."