Search - Maccabees :: Wall of Arms

Darker and still lovely!

Nse Ette | Lagos, Nigeria | 07/17/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Seeking a darker, more mature and widescreen sound, UK quintet Maccabees sought out producer Markus Dravs (who has worked with Coldplay, Björk and Arcade Fire) for their sophomore disc. Loads of nice harmonies, horns and more mature lyrics.



That chirpy Brit Indie sensibility that so endeared them to listeners on their first album is still present here; opening cut "Love you better", "One hand holding", the exuberant "Dinosaurs" (marching beats and a nice horn section - out go their playful lyrics and in are lyrics like "I keep this pillow, it's such a poor substitute for a soul"), "Kiss and resolve", and the simply beautiful "William Powers" are fun bouncy songs (as is much of the CD), but we also have songs like the mellow jangly and scratchy "Seventeen hands" or closing floating Hymnal ballad "Bag of bones" which wouldn't sound out of place on Arcade Fire's "Neon Bible" (and is actually based on the closing coda from "No kind words").



Other standouts are the "Young lions" (which despite a bouncy beat still manages to sound somber) and the galloping title track "Wall of arms" (with nice chiming guitars and darting horns), but the real showstopper is the simply awesome "No kind words". It is sinister sounding, and reminiscent of a darker Depeche Mode. It shifts mood in the flick of an eye starting off throbbing and downbeat, picking up tempo towards the final minute and a half before going out in a gentle piano coda.



Such a great CD which just gets better each time I listen to it."