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Track Listings
| 1. The English Riviera |
| 2. We Broke Free |
| 3. Everything Goes My Way |
| 4. The Look |
| 5. She Wants |
| 6. Trouble |
| 7. The Bay |
| 8. Loving Arm |
| 9. Corinne |
| 10. Some Written |
| 11. Love Underlined |
Product Description
Review
Joseph Mount, the man behind Metronomy, hails from Totnes in Devon. You’d never have guessed it from the locationless indie-disco of his earlier music, but the third Metronomy album sees him carefully hone in on the charms of southwest England. The market town in question is reimagined as (a different/fantasy) the English Riviera, a romantic destination where magic happens – and it’s apparent from the get-go, with the sound of cawing seagulls opening the album’s first song.
With this relocation comes a new sound too, a further excursion into Mount’s fascinating brain. The restless pace of 2008’s Nights Out is tempered with frequent moments of calm, and the insistent top layer of squelchy falsetto replaced with more modest, lithe hooks. She Wants is newly sentimental, adding a personal touch to the more generalised feelings the songs had previously explored, while Everything Goes My Way has a female lead vocal and the glamour of a John Hughes film from the 1980s. The latter is deliciously summery, but one of the album’s weakest for how uncompelling its structure is.
The lowlights on The English Riviera are thankfully rare. Trouble’s tart vocals head wistfully into a swaying doo-wop beat, with typically smart lyrics such as the cute tautology of "There’s a tear in your eye / And there’s no ‘I’ in tear". And that brings it back to the familiar; Mount’s strengths as a songwriter come from his willingness to show off, however much he may be aware of this.
Love Underlined is incredible, a standout song that hypnotically rises through urgent, insistent and twisted rhythms that start out at odds with each other and eventually come together into a giant four-to-the-floor chorus. The Bay, a theme tune of sorts for the album’s setting, sees the band taking on Daft Punk for energy levels – and more than matching that winsome fervour. "This isn’t Paris, this isn’t London, this isn’t Berlin, this isn’t Hong Kong, this isn’t Tokyo," Mount sings charmingly, glamorising his hometown through summery, lightly roughed-up choruses.
If Nights Out was the soundtrack to an all-hours party that threatened to blow the speakers, The English Riviera is the music in the ears of a restless insomniac. The type of punch Metronomy now pack is differently varied, and instead of relying on catchy melodies, its excitement and originality is now more broadly sourced.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A blend of 60's, 70's and 80's (with a little 90's) Wonderful sounds for summer.,
By
This review is from: The English Riviera (Audio CD)
Take a mix of Serge Gainsbourg (especially track 2 - which sounds like a direct lift from Melody Nelson), MGMT, The Bee Gees, Franz Ferdinand, Japan (there's some fretless bass in there), a little early Human League and Ultravox and some melodies from the Sarah Records back catalogue. Blend. Anglicise. Play.I got a hold of this album based on the single 'The Look' which was being played heavily on 6 Music. The album hasn't disappointed. Great tunes and considerable variety. Will work my way through the back catalogue based on this.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Far Better Than A Siberian Hamster,
By
This review is from: The English Riviera (Audio CD)
Several years ago I stumbled across Midlake and their rather excellent Trials of Van Occupanther album. It contains the quite sublime single Roscoe and really is my choice when I want to just sit back and chill with some music that soothes and pleases in equal measures. The English Riviera might just supplant that CD now as it really does those two tasks and quite a few more. For an album that's named after the area of Devon where the head honcho comes from it has influences all over the globe. The laid back elegance of French music, Gainsbourg particularly, the electronics of the 80's new wave, the mid 80 Peter Gabriel sound (listen to She Wants and it could be off PG3 or 4), some have suggested the eagles are referenced here too although it doesn't quite pull me in that direction. However, what is always here is an incredibly well put together, melodic and memorable album.To point at a single track or one or two would be missing the point here as its very consistent throughout. This is adult oriented pop music that pretty much delivers every time. The music lingers afterwards and you can feel yourself wanting to listen again. The vocal harmonies are good and the male and female counterparts are used well. If you want a good chilled pop album then you will be well pleased on hearing this. Now is a good time to re-appreciate this album. The Mercury panel have deemed it worthy of the short-list and whilst it probably won't win it will get more airplay and that's exactly what it deserves.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a Find!,
By
This review is from: The English Riviera (Audio CD)
Had someone described the sound of Metronomy I would probably have overlooked it as its not a genre of music I normally look for. However a brief appearance on BBC's 2011 Glastonbury coverage,combined with strong reviews had me curious. The sound is hard to descibe but I would say electronic disco combined with sounds of the 60's,70s and early electronic 80s. Right from the opening track - this album has you hooked from the word go, extremely creative, original and fresh - bringing together a collection various sounds from your lifetime and somehow pulling them all into one album. 'We broke free', 'Everything goes my way', 'The Look' and 'The Bay' being my personal highlights. This album is mind blowingly good and easily the best album Ive heard of 2011 - a future classic!
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