Review Summary: Is this peak?
‘The Most Reliable Band Currently Operating in Pop and Rock’ unleash another full length release hot on the heels of their last album ‘Raw Data Feel’ with yet another hour of material AND another new story concept to tie it all together. ‘Mountainhead’ delivers the expected haul of naggingly catchy ear worms and certainly at least eight of these songs will prove the equal of the band’s previous top level output. Tracks like ‘Wild Guess’, ‘Cold Reactor’, ‘R U Happy?’ and ‘Your Money, My Summer’ have the required pop sparkle and still feel fresh - no mean feat. In terms of deep cuts that take a more unique approach you can look to the widescreen vibes of ‘City Song’ and the Hot Chip near-dance of ‘Don’t Ask Me to Beg’. So to reemphasise: there’s no lack of quality material here.
The issue holding this release back is therefore quite predictable and you could say ‘almost inevitable’ for a band this prolific; the album is overstuffed, and in particular it somewhat sags in the middle. Beyond that there’s a general feeling the peppy quality of the last album has been mostly jettisoned this time, and instead a mid tempo ‘comfort zone’ semi-malaise pervades. The listener could be forgiven for wondering whether three or four of these songs were included thanks to them adding to the conceptual side of ‘Mountainhead’ ahead of being all that exciting in and of themselves.
Another more than solid addition to the EE catalogue and the ‘dark side of deep state capitalism’ dystopian fable is a lyrical device that suits the band to a tee as you’d have predicted - but in terms of appeal this release still falls between two stools; it doesn’t have the sprightly pop ‘hit after hit’ chemistry of ‘Raw Data Feel’ while it also doesn’t quite go back to the snarl and shock factor of ‘Get to Heaven’ either. At the final judgement ‘Mountainhead’ takes on the role of a steady Eddie in their catalogue…and there’s a lot worse possible fates than that.
