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Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Slow Club - Paradise


If you thought boy-girl duo Slow Club were defined by their sheer tweeness, think again. Two years since their debut album, Yeah So, the Sheffield-based twosome return with a sophomore effort seemingly intent on finally dismissing the twee tag once and for all.

It's immediately clear that Paradise is an album that has much more weight than its predecessor. If Yeah So was a slightly shy teenager dancing in the shadows, album number two is bounding around unreservedly in the middle of the dance floor. Of course, it's still Slow Club – their folk and indie influences are apparent – but the production-levels and arrangements are vastly improved and there are healthy dollops of unabashed pop and some soul and Motown edges to be found here too. Where I'm Waking is a prime example of their heightened ambition. It's a rollicking, rocking anthem, in which Rebecca Taylor displays a powerful lead vocal over bullet drums and an huge chorus. Indeed, while Charles Watson leads on several occasions, such as the epic Horses Jumping, Taylor has definitely stepped up a gear, and it works a treat. Her delivery on the You, Earth or Ash is wonderful. “I'm exhausted,” she sighs with genuine emotion and weariness. It's Slow Club at their most deep and mature and is one of several moments that contrast the more upbeat tunes to create a good balance.

Not only does Paradise show a marked evolution from Slow Club's cute, charming yet fairly disposable debut effort, but it is certainly one of the better albums to have come out of England this year.

Review by Bobby Townsend. It originally appeared in Drum Media.