Review Summary: A definite album of the year, a must buy for all indie fans everywhere.
The last big band to come out of Sheffield, of course, was the Arctic Monkeys, the 4 young lads who had a social conscience as well as an ear for a good indie pop tune. Now a year later, it seems as if every new band seems to possess this social conscience, and guitars remain firmly jangly. Now, enter The Long Blondes, the hotly tipped young'uns from Sheffield, here to make some welcome changes.
Now, where the Long Blondes differ from the Monkeys is mainly the fact that with the Blondes everything seems to be a lot more fun, and a lot more fashionable. That's what you get when you have 3 girls in the band, including the super sexy beautiful Kate Jackson. And all for the better, I say. 'Someone To Drive You Home' is in essence a pop album, but gathers its influences from all over, creating an original, melodic sound that is a sigh of relief from a lot of other new music (circa The View).
The album begins with 'Lust In The Movies', a loud, pounding, yet strangely sexy opener, that drew me in from the first second. Beginning in a scrawl of feedback, the guitar quickly comes in and squeals and shouts throughout the song, making it a perfect opener. This is followed by 'Once And Never Again', the first proper single off the album. With its "19, you're only 19 for god sake" pop lyric, it is the poppiest song on the album, and also the catchiest. it keeps the mood up, and the indie disco dancing.
The next three songs seem to be on a darker level. The good thing about these though, is that they begin very moody and sexy, then they break into a typically loud, jangly chorus. Giddy Stratospheres, in particular, a favourite off the album, with its breath-like synth, making it sound very vintage.
The next song however, is a weak point. 'Heaven Help The New Girl' gets quite lost in the momentum, and is completely lost on most people, albeit the 17 year old indie girl who's just split up with her hot 19 year old boyfriend. It's redeemed completely by the next track 'Separated by Motorways', the most blatantly stupid pop song ever written, and the defining track on the album. The chorus is a massive sing-a-long, and Kate Jackson's opening growl is the finest use of shouting since Cattle Decapitation's last album. Or not.
The great songs keep coming, notably 'Swallow Tattoo' and 'Weekend Without Makeup', but ends on a low note with 'A Knife For The Girls', another stupid girly ballad. It's what you get, I guess. But it has its moments, though it leaves you slightly let down as the CD finishes. However, the album is probably the sexiest album of the year, minus a few crap ballads. It will guarantee to keep you dancing all night (well, until you run out of songs), and provides the only medicine available for the mop-haired Monkeys. I mean, who would you rather see sing naked, Kate Jackson or Alex Turner?
