9:03am Monday 9th August 2010
By Telegraph & Argus
The Steals – Static Kingdom (Faun) ***
After a gap of more than a year since their last critically acclaimed album, The Steals have been working in between Hebden Bridge and San Francisco to produce their latest offering. It is an album
of what some people would call 21st century psych-folk and others would just call downright boring. Personally, I fall somewhere in between. Lots of haunting, melodic vocals that use the now-almost
traditional breathy singing style that make each song sound very similar to the last one. Nice guitars accompany the songs with touches of external styles hovering in the background. What the album
lacks is something with a bit of oomph to break the suicidal tendencies that this kind of music can induce over the length of a whole album.
Nigel Goodman, 53, teacher, Heaton
Travie McCoy – Lazarus (Decaydence, Fueled By Ramen) ***
Gym Class Heroes frontman Travie McCoy releases his debut album, featuring collaborations with artists such as T-Pain, Bruno Mars and Cee Lo Green. The feel of the album is a little darker than
usual GCH tones, McCoy stating that several of the songs were heavily influenced by his break-up with pop superstar Katy Perry. That said, the album is far from a sombre affair with chart-success
Billionaire undoubtedly being the stand-out track. At just over 35 minutes, the album is too short and the tone a little inconsistent. Enjoyable and entertaining, but lacking originality and
depth.
Charlotte McCallum, 19, student, Bradford
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