Bishop Allen - The Broken String (Dead Oceans)
4/5
By: Alex Lee Thomson
This band put out so many EP's in 2006 their name was never far from the release schedule and that may have been the reason behind their moderate success, because without all the hype-generators working overtime Bishop Allen would have no doubt been overlooked. Sad, considering this album is really quite good... really.
Part Jackson Browne, part Okkervil River (one of the most under-rated albums of 2007), The Broken String is a whimsically charismatic serenade of happy melodies and stunning vocals, centred around well-thought arrangements and genuinely captivating strings that suck you into the stories Bishop Allen have to express. Production wise, it's close to ideal, at moments seeming like a lost collection of songs by The Flaming Lips during their cowboy-like moments. The songs on The Broken String step out from the parameters of what everybody else is doing just enough to get a glimpse of how to use small alterations in known genres to full effect, while being a piece of work representative of the times, no too dissimilar to the Lips in that respect.
'Click, Click, Click, Click' is a true highlight, offering Paul Simon on a plate of breathtaking Americana that only the Yanks can do with conviction, pulling off bona fide moments of heartfelt song-writing with a timeless charm and splendiferous allure towards Bright Eyes. 'The Chinatown Bus' is also an un-frivolous take on an Oberst sound that croons brooding, restrained vocals and thoughtful lyrics over a rumbling guitar and endearing brass segment that also introduce the female aspect of their sound forming an excitingly comparable sound to I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning.
There are parts of The Broken String that would maybe fall into a Guillemots shaped pigeonhole but are saved by an up-tempo-ness, a catchy, almost bluesy country vibe that irrevocably removes them from bands that look good on paper but don't quite accomplish their proposed intentions on record. 'Butterfly Nets' finds a home here quite well and almost shows off their knack for a proper stripped down love song; abundant in sombre simplicity and buttressing the belief that this band could go on to become one of the countries most celebrated exports to the right crowd.
Stream three tracks from The Broken String HERE.
Artists in this article: Bishop Allen
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