Search - Clientele :: Strange Geometry

If it ain't broke...

M. Lohrke | Provo, UT | 10/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i find it somewhat difficult to be remain objective when discussing the clientele--i simply adore this band. when people ask me 'what do they sound like' they're one of two bands for which i simply can't find a reference point (the arcade fire being the other). the clientele is band that sounds like nothing you've heard before, yet somehow familiar at the same time.



'strange geometry' bears more resemblence to 'suburban light' than to its predecessor, 'the violet hour.' even though 'suburban light' was a collection of singles, tracks from e.p.'s, etc, it was thoroughly cohesive album. each track seemed cut from the same cloth. 'the violet hour,' (the first proper l.p.) while evoking a similar atmospheric aesthetic, was less immediate, less engaging the 'suburban light.' 'strange geometry's' lead track and first single, 'since k got over me' is vintage clientele--slightly reverbed/delayed guitars, airy vocals, walking basslines. it's a song that would've fit nicely on 'suburban light.' (and better than any track on 'the violet hour'). this similarity, i think, is part of the clientele's appeal: you know exactly what you're getting, but despite that knowledge, you're never disappointed because it's such a unique and beautiful sound. and it seems so apropros to release this album in october because the clientele are very much an autumnal band.



the majority of the album's track are, in fact, steeped in autumnal atmosphere. as i mentioned on my review of 'suburban light,' the clientele sound sucked straight out of 1967 london. it's all about golden hues, gray skies, turning leaves, sunrises and sunsets, silhouettes, flowers, gardens, ivy, butterflies, and faded photographs. yet they pull it off. in lesser hands, the clientele might sound contrived and pretentious. thankfully alasdair maclean's vocal delivery is beguiling and compelling. he's a fine, fine vocalist, unique in every way. and as musicians the band are top notch. don't listen to the clientele casually, for there's some pretty complex arrangements within the songs--a testament to their song writing abilities. it's not easy to write complex songs that sound so darned pleasing to the ear. and it's particularly nice to hear louis phillipe's restrained string arrangements on the album. it gives the album an added depth and complexity without burdening the songs.



it's a shame the clientele don't have a wider audience. during the first half of the decade they've released some of the most beautiful, contemplative, emotive and original music i've ever heard. i simply can't get enough of them. as i said, i can't really be totally objective, but this already ranks as one of my top three albums of 2005. buy it. it will rank high on your list, too."

A leap forward

Borrowed Tunes | Boston, MA, USA | 10/22/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"From my blog Borrowed Tunes ([...])...



The Clientele have taken a nice leap forward with their second album, with improved production, songs, and overall confidence. They haven't changed; they've just refined and sharpened their sound. Last time around, they had my ear; this time they have my attention.



The band is an exercise in style - hushed, suave 60s folk-pop being the choice - and this move forward doesn't broaden their horizons much beyond their simple tremolo-guitar and swinging drums arrangements. A touch of strings here, an unexpectedly ratty guitar solo there lift the songs out of monotony, which they sometimes skirt dangerously.



In general, though, the Clientele have found a gift for dramatic melody that they only hinted at on The Violet Hour; there's still plenty of style, but a little less art and a little more pop. And with tighter performances, everything hits a touch more directly now. There's also a lyrical thread: a mysterious ex named "K" pops up a few times, and the titular phrase "strange geometry" is used more than once in reference to the disorientation at the end of love.



Looking for a modern touchstone? This band might fill the void left recently by Luna - not that Dean Wareham is gone forever - albeit in a lighter, more mannered way. If you like smart soft pop, the Clientele are for you."