Album- The Lumineers
Artist- The Lumineers
The Lumineers have massively risen in popularity during to
the break out success of their hit track Ho Hey that features a powerful but
simple hook. I decided to check out their album to see if their good musical
rhythms and folk rock sound could translate into a fully thought out, beautiful
debut.
Track 1- Flowers in
Your Hair
The opening track is a simple chilled out number that acts
as a short intro the record. The lyrics of the track act as a storytelling
piece as well as a retrospective of the power of love. The fast paced lyrical
content really builds, as does the sound of the track as the acoustic guitar
becomes more up tempo and the bass drum gives a strong power to the song. The
vocal performance is sweet and heartfelt with a good hook centring the track
into a nice love song territory. It may be short but it doesn’t feel that way,
which is great in showing that they know how to not drag out a track
unnecessarily. A good opening.
3/5
Track 2- Classy Girls
The opening of the track gives a cool live feel to the
number that makes the powerful vocal beginning more punctuating. Whilst the
track has that building quality of the previous number, this one feels a little
bit more fun and letting go in sound, with the prominence of the violin and
bass giving a real crowd pleasing sound to the number. The vocals are cool in
bringing out the message of the track in terms of the guy not being classy but
trying to fall in love with a classy girl. And it’s fun in that it doesn’t
necessarily have a concrete lyrical centrepiece but plays well with the idea of
those girls who are all about looking after themselves.
3/5
Track 3-Submarines
The clunky piano instrumentation of the track gives a nice
powerful sound that is met with some powerful drum beats and just gives a fun,
kind of weird edge to the song. The song never matches the production pace
vocally and so gives a nice contrast, although it’s difficult to decide if the
sound is a little overpowering. And whilst the lyrics are metaphorical they are
cool but also annoyingly difficult to find meaning in, depending on your point
of view.
2.5/5
Track 4- Dead Sea
This powerful number is a simple but progressively grand
number that is all about love being really great through the metaphor of the
Dead Sea. The powerful sound with its melancholic violin but cool acoustic
guitar and just building sound makes for a smart track that feels very sing
along, particularly with the great use of vocal echoes. The vocal performance
as a whole feels very natural, with the high key middle section and silence of
the track after this point making for a really powerful end that elevates the
track to a different level than the previous numbers. And the lyrics will
really touch those in a good relationship and has that slightly convoluted but
also perfectly simple edge that allows for a wide ranged appeal.
3.5/5
Track 5- Ho Hey
The records lead single is a sweet and chorus catchy number
that definitely acts as a perfect introduction to the record and the band. The
continual motif of the song with the choral voiced “ho hey” makes for an
immediately attention grabbing track that is really simple but really
effective. The lyrics of the verse feel really heartfelt and have that this is
what it could be storytelling flavour, whilst the chorus is a simple line
repetition that is so pure you can’t help but sing along. And this is helped by
the light vocals which just give a welcoming feel to the track. Furthermore the
guitars and drums are equally simple and pure, giving a forceful sound but
never overpowering the track in anyway, with the banjo instrumentation also
giving a really nice, almost spontaneous tone. Definitely deserving of all the
success it has had.
4.5/5
Track 6- Slow It Down
Set against the frivolity of the previous track this song really
packs a punch. It is a slow, emotional ballad that features a superbly
simplistic musical composition and a rough but powerful vocal performance that
really makes the song feel special. The way the song changes key in from the
first verses into the chorus really gives that sense of warmth and I am your
home feeling to the song that really sits with the listener. And the lyrical
quality of the song is really powerful, with chorus holding that simplicity and
cuts straight to the heart. The track features really simple acoustic guitar
that just keeps a really chilled out but powerful tone that fits the message of
the track perfectly. Definitely a highlight, particularly in terms of its
placing on the record. And whilst this track is 5 minutes long compared to the
shortness of previous tracks, it never feels like that long of a song, which is
superb.
4/5
Track 7- Stubborn
Love
The stop and start acoustic guitar and slow violins make for
a weird but interesting, slightly melancholic opening that is grabbing. The
sound of the track feels in the same vein of the lead single but just more
subdued and more heartfelt, at the same time vulnerable. The sweetness of the
track really comes through in terms of certain lyrics, showing how the track is
based upon love. And the lyrical content of the track shines in terms of the
way it almost feels like we are listening to a man talking to his lover. The
vocal are nice and smooth, with the deep vocal of the hook giving a nice tone
and that sense of I love you. And whilst the sound is similar to some of the
others on the record the more subdued tone works nicely, even if the building
of the song is very familiar and therefore lacks a little power, although the
violin closing is a really good end.
3.5/5
Track 8- Big Parade
The hand clapping production of the tracks beginning makes
for a nice atmosphere to the number that makes it feel like a crowd affair at
first, and then the way the simplicity of the number shines through makes for a
nice musical energy that feels chilled and fresh. The way piano is introduced
gives a slow burning vitality to the song, and this divergence from different
tempo’s in the song just makes for a good listen that feels different to the
other songs on the record, even if the bass and guitar sounds very familiar.
The lyrics feature a catchy line of “oh my my, oh hey hey” that is kind of like
a musical worm in your mind, and gives that live track feel to the song, which
is also helped by the joining of vocals in places and the hand clapping beats. And
the vocal tone is also really inviting as it just as that chilled out lightness
that is really enjoyable. The track is a bit long, but doesn’t end up for you
wishing it to just end, and therefore works.
3.5/5
Track 9- Charlie Boy
The guitar instrumentation of the tracks beginning gives a
kind of Italian Riviera kind of feel to this track in my opinion, and this
cool, atmospheric kind of guitar permeates the track throughout, making for a
nice listen. The lyrics about the idea of relationships feels like a wise
declaration of what love is and so makes the band seem retrospective. This is
also shown in the deep vocal tone of the track and the violins that are
employed in the song, as it makes for a sombre, I am looking back on my life
kind of tone. It just is a really nice chilled out track that at the same time
feels quite powerful, and so is really enjoyable, and doesn’t feature the band
trying to go for a big sound that shouldn’t be there.
4/5
Track 10- Flapper
Girl
A nice, down tempo tone continues with this track in which a
guy talks of wishing to be reunited with his lover. The track feels cute but
sincere and just has a nice chilled out sound with the piano instrumentation
and tambourines that give a kind of sing a long lounge feel to the track. And
the lyrics are definitely helped by the rough but light vocal tone of the bands
lead singer, which definitely gives a sense of vulnerability and sincerity to
the track that wouldn’t necessarily be there if a random singer had sung the
track.
3.5/5
Track 11- Morning
Song
The closing song is a slow ballad that features some cool
use of electric guitar and powerful bass drum beats that give a kind of epic
sound to the track. The lyrics are a haunting lamentation of a lost
relationship and the hurt that the singer feels over this, and this is conveyed
within the melancholic tone of the production which allows for good breaks in
the vocals that really let the message of the track sink into the listeners
mind. Whilst the track may be a stereotypical down tempo closer the vocals make
it feel more heartfelt and the sound is just nice, not trying to be blatantly
powerful but still managing to do so. And the final key change moments of the
track really make for a I am hurt powerful end that shows that the band still
have more in them, but they’re not going to drag this album out just because of
it.
Final Review
It’s slightly annoying that this band is only finding
success now as they have been around for quite a few years now, and it’s
definitely something that I’m annoyed with because I like so many people have
just left them being unnoticed. But it’s just a sign that sometimes you need
that one powerful song that is just so great people can’t help but notice. Luckily
the group aren’t just a one song kind of artist and actually have made a really
charming, assured debut that maintains there folk rock sound throughout and
keeps a nice energy overall from chilled to upbeat and crowd rousing. And the
lyrical quality is great, touching both sides of sophisticated and simple with
great results. Definitely a band that you will hear bigger and better things
of.
8/10
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