Review Summary: Only one word comes to mind...outstanding.
Knowing when and why to release a greatest hits collection is a tricky matter for any band. Usually it comes towards the end or, if not that late, twilight of a bands career. By this time they should have amassed enough tracks worthy of being on a greatest hits collection as well as garnered enough respect to justify putting out such a potentially pretentious collection. Usually after just four albums there is no need for such an album. Biffy Clyro, however, are not your
usual band. Their seemingly sudden rise to fame following the release of 2007’s brilliant ‘Puzzle’ masked the fact that the band had been working hard for over ten years. The fact that before ‘Puzzle’ they had released three brilliant albums was unfortunately not picked up on. Never fear however, that is why this album is necessary. It is to educate the masses, who have only recently become infatuated with everybody’s favourite bearded trio, about Biffy Clyro’s excellent past.
As the vast majority of the Biff’s hardcore fans will tell you,
“their older stuff is so much better!” Well, sort of. While their more recent albums have been much more consistent, their edgy, intricate songs such as
‘There’s No Such Thing as a Jaggy Snake’ are far more interesting than the stadium-sized anthems that found a home on ‘Puzzle’. Following a sprawling, discordant riff the song venomously uncoils into an impassioned, and very enjoyable, rant about nothing, yet its delivery is so urgent that it could convince you that the world is coming to an end. While the band specialises in quirky alternative-rock, similar to The Dillinger Escape Plan in an actually chilled out mood, they still showed that they were capable of penning anthemic rock songs. Take 3rd track
‘57’ for example. The band exhibit interesting musicianship throughout but, on this song more than others, the emphasis is on writing catchy hooks, with the “hey’s” in the chorus acting as a simple, yet effective sing-a-long. The crashing final chorus of [/i]‘The Ideal Height’[/i] dramatically contrasts the fragility of the opening riff and displays a very thoughtful use of dynamics. The song journeys flawlessly through several sections that could loosely be described as verses and choruses, but the important thing is that it is a very enjoyable, short jaunt.
The star of the show is undoubtedly frontman and guitarist Simon Neil. Epic songs such as the disturbingly titled
‘Toys Toys Toys Choke Toys Toys Toys’ revolve around his guitar lines which are, at times, magnificent. The song makes a progression through quick verses punctuated by off-kilter guitar pushes to intelligible screaming sections to huge chorus sections, all the while pausing for breath here and there to create tension. Another highlight of the collection is the opener for their debut ‘Blackened Sky’ is
‘Joy.Discovery.Invention’ as Neil implores you to “take me to your blackened sky,” as the band build up a hauntingly beautiful crescendo. The brothers Johnston, James (bass) and Ben (drums), help push the song forward with very dynamic playing that is standard place on all the songs here.
There really isn’t a weak link here, as all of the songs make for an interesting listen as well as being of a very high standard. The only real complaint is that given the songs complex nature is that it is often hard to put names to songs minutes after hearing them. Though with songs such as the ambitious
‘Glitter & Trauma’ this is not hard. Also, as the album is not a purposefully ordered album, the structure is not great. Though to be honest, this complaint is as petty as complaining about Stephen Hawking’s football abilities. This collection serves as an excellent introduction to Biffy Clyro’s earlier material for their new fans, and referencing the final track here,
‘Only One Word Comes To Mind’…outstanding.
