Biffy Clyro - 'Machines'
We all know what it's like when a dear friend comes over, clutching an over-thumbed copy of their new favourite band's CD, or a hot and sweaty iPod, yes? "Oh my God," they say, "you have SO got to hear this song, right...THIS SONG IS MY LIFE!"
And then they put the CD in, or plug their manky, waxy earphones into your beautiful clean ears, and play you the song which is currently making their spine turn to string and their eyes turn to dew-puddles every time they hear it and you feel...nothing.
It's not nice, is it? You trust your friend, you trust your musical taste, surely these two feelings can't be in conflict? So you listen again. This time your emotions are straining at the lead, ready to be let off for a really good romp up Happy Hill and down The Gully Of Dark Things, possibly chasing a little recollection bunny (or memorabbit, as I like to call 'em) which has been jolted into action by some plangent chord or vocal warble. And yet what you find yourself doing instead is trying to work out where the song's melody has been pinched from (in this case, Del Amitri and Neil Young, true story) and sighing internally.
Which brings me to Biffy Clyro. People LOVE these fellas. There are Biffy Clyro songs which people have as Their Tune, and will want to play when they get married, or have played at their funeral, or will put on when their hearts are broken on a rainy day. Biffy Clyro are a band who MATTER.
And the passive listener can SORT OF see why. Nice songs, nicely sung, tastefully delivered, all that, little bit of widdly-madness to bring in the boffins, but...but...why can't I hear what other people can hear?
"Ah no," Team Biffy protest, loudly, "you've only heard the singles. There are much better songs on 'Puzzle', songs which really show what the band are about. They're amazing, I'm telling you."
Well, OK, that sounds convincing. That sounds like there's an evil record company who are deliberately picking the most commercial, user-friendly moments from the band's latest, so's to lure unsuspecting Snow Patrol fans in, and then stun their senses dead with the band's tricksier, heavier moments...
Except this is the fourth single off 'Puzzle', the album everyone says is their masterpiece. And so far we've had one very Foo Fightersy song (which was alright), one brilliantly mad gothic rocker (great), one softypop heartbreak ballad (alright) and now this underwhelming folky lament. How many amazing songs can there be left unreleased?
It's not that this is BAD, and it's not that I'm saying Biffy Clyro fans are WRONG. I'm saying that no matter how hard I try, I'm still only loving only one out of the four songs Team Biffy have made me listen to since their masterpiece breakthrough album hit the shops. And they're still here, watching for the moment the penny drops so that they can go "YOU SEE???" and we can have a good cry together.
*sigh*
OK, maybe ONE more listen...
Download: Out now
CD Released: October 8th
(Fraser McAlpine)
Comments
My mate is the same, 'The Album is GENIUS! YOU'LL LOVE IT!' I've listened to a few and I just... I don't get it tbh.
My mates like this with her rhianna album. seriously. shes like 'OMG you gotta hear this song...its like SOOOO amazing!' then she stuffs her earphones into my ears, only for me to go 'please, please leave me be. You know I hate rhianna, I don't like her music, please get your sweaty ipod earphones OUT of my goddamn ears! this is the 10th time you have done this today marie......PLEASE DONT DO IT AGAIN!' and what does she do 10 minutes later? I think you probably can guess.
I've gotta say I agree, I like one of their tunes off this album.
People say to me: 'this is their most commercial album, you should listen to their early stuff'
Thing is I've listened to their earlier stuff and I just don't get it. I went to see Velvet Revolver a couple of years ago and they were one of the support acts, they were awful!
They're a bit rank, really. Rock music for people who don't like rock music (RMFPWDLRM), but like to claim that they like rock music, whereas if they ever actually heard any real rawk, they would go running home to mummy.
See Foo Fighters and modern day Chili Peppers for further examples of RMFPWDLRM at its most evil. Oh, and lostprophets. [shudder].
Mr H: What a fantastic genre you have just created. There has gotta be loads of bands that fall into this catagory.
Problem is I like alot of these bands (including lostprophets), however I like proper rock music aswell. (See my CD collection where Maroon 5 sit nervously between Lynard Skynard and Megadeth).
So where does this leave me?
Well, personally, I totally dissagree. I absolutely love this song. I must have listened to it over 100 times. It's possibly the saddest song I've ever heard. I've tried it on people who are in a bad mood, and this song is capable of making people cry.
However, this song that I am talking about is the album version, and in my oppinion it has been ruined. The drums are unnecessary, and the chimes or whatever are just over the top. The simple guitar plucking was fine. This (aswell as The Kill by 3STM) is a song that has been ruined for radio.
And I don't even think that much of the album. I definately think the best songs off it have been released as singles. That's just what I think.
At 03:07 PM on 01 Oct 2007, Jamie wrote: Mr H: What a fantastic genre you have just created. There has gotta be loads of bands that fall into this catagory. Problem is I like alot of these bands (including lostprophets), however I like proper rock music aswell. (See my CD collection where Maroon 5 sit nervously between Lynard Skynard and Megadeth).
Indeed, it is a tremendous genre that encompasses all that is awful about music. Whereas people like me with impeccable type will happily swoon over Girls Aloud remixes on their way to Megadeth gigs (and Megadeth are really mince these days). However, two things fall foul of your assertion of liking proper rock music.
1) Rock is, of course, spelt rawk! Thus differentiating it from RMFPWDLRM), and
2) Maroon 5 should NEVER be allowed near Lynyrd Skynyrd! One of those bands are the epitome of all that is glorious about scorching blues-rock, second only to the Allman Brothers Band, and just ahead of The Outlaws. The other is Lynyrd Skynyrd.
PS - Skynyrd are the only band to make me weep with joy when seeing them live.
At 03:07 PM on 01 Oct 2007, Jamie wrote: Mr H: What a fantastic genre you have just created. There has gotta be loads of bands that fall into this catagory. Problem is I like alot of these bands (including lostprophets), however I like proper rock music aswell. (See my CD collection where Maroon 5 sit nervously between Lynard Skynard and Megadeth).
Indeed, it is a tremendous genre that encompasses all that is awful about music. Whereas people like me with impeccable type will happily swoon over Girls Aloud remixes on their way to Megadeth gigs (and Megadethare really mince these days). However, two things fall foul of your assertion of liking proper rock music.
1) Rock is, of course, spelt rawk! Thus differentiating it from RMFPWDLRM), and
2) Maroon 5 should NEVER be allowed near Lynyrd Skynyrd! One of those bands are the epitome of all that is glorious about scorching blues-rock, second only to the Allmans Brothers Band, and just ahead of The Outlaws. The other is Lynyrd Skynyrd.
PS - Skynyrd are the only band to make me weep with joy when seeing them live.
Um, apologies about multiple entries which seem to appearing. I accept full responsibility despite leaving all interweb work up to my trained monkey, Mr Shambles, who takes remarkably good dictation for a lesser simian, but is less hot with new fangled technology.
TEAM BIFFY...
All Biffy songs are legendary, but 'Puzzle,' is thee best thing since sliced bread. All this "rawk," rubbish, have you ever actually seen Biffy live, felt the intesity, 'cos believe you me it is an intense gig to be at.
Mon The Biffy!
man this is a rubbish review, not really a review at all actually just an article about some guy who doesnt get biffy!
listen to 'the vertigo of bliss'. classic.
[Are you offering me your sweaty ipod headphones there, Tom? OK, well then you're the exact person this was written for. Glad you got the finer nuances of it! - Fraser]
Did it not occur to you to listen to any of their albums rather than waiting for singles to be released?
[Then the review would be about whether I like the albums or not, which people buying 'Machines' won't necessarily find all that useful. Sometimes it's better to just stick to the truth, which is that I know Biffy Clyro are special, but this run of singles hasn't convinced me as to why. I don't HAVE to like them just cos you do, see? - Fraser]
Machines, in my opinion, was never supposed to be a single. It was never supposed to be heard without the context of the entire album before it.
Hell, they recorded it in ten minutes as a spur-of-the-moment song that turned out to sound really very lovely, but, it just wasn't going to work as a single of their's. Ever.
It's not a song I, personally want to hear at every gig they play, it's one of those songs that should be kept in a room filled with less than 200 people, alongside 'breatheher' or 'Ewan's True Mental You'. It's a fantastic song, it really is, but releasing it as a single has taken away the small, personal feeling you got after you listened to the album in full, for the first time, hearing this at the end and just thinking, "Woah."
The thing is, it's a pretty song and it may be selfish, but, it's got to be appreciated by people who'll really love it and I don't think the singles-chart public do will give it as much appreciation as it deserves.
Mr H: Two things;
Firstly, I apologise, of course I meant rawk!
Secondably, (I know it's secondly, see Arrested Development). I know Lynard should be nowhere near the mighty Maroon 5, but it's Alphabetical order. . . you can't argue with that sh*t. Unless I rearrange my collection in order of Rawkness. With the most Rawking at one end, leadind down to RMFPWDLRM at the other. We could call it. . . 'The Rawkter Scale'.
Sofee Kay:
Don't rubbish the Rawk! Also, if you had read my above comment you would have noted that I have experienced Biffy live. They were intense. . . intensely awful!
There is a lot to be said for organising stuff by 'rawk'.
My albums (that's a 12" vinyl record that plays at 33rpm on a 'record player' for the young 'uns) are organised by mood.
Heavy, heavy metal on the bottom shelf (because it's so heavy)
Drinking music second bottom - mainly southern rock, but some jump and jive blues.
Party music - third - everything from Warrant and Britny Fox to whup ass country and seventies soul.
Jazz - top shelf - cos jazz belongs on the top shelf, where the kids can't reach it.
The Maroon 5 shelf - the skip at the foot of the road.