That it’s hard to be truly original these days that requires no qualification. But if you can’t be original, then you have to make sure you’re damn good. Many of the elements of ‘Cavalcade’ will sound extremely familiar to many, but The Slow Readers Club have succeeded in making an album that is very damn good indeed.
Ok, so certain phrases in the vocal melody of the opening track, ‘Start Again’ reminds me of ‘Book of Days’ by The Psychedelic Furs, while song structure and vibe calls to mind The Cinematics, only with a more electro-leaning instrumentation. With a surging chorus and keen post-punk feel, it’s a killer way to kick off an album that’s bursting with bittersweet anthems that amalgamate the best elements of Britpop and the new-wave revival as spearheaded by the likes of Interpol circa 2004.
There’s a keen pop sensibility to the tracks, with a sturdy disco beat driving ‘I Saw a Ghost’ and ‘Forever In Your Debt’ laying a tidy groove imbued with a distinctly 80s vibe and no shortage of emotional pull.
‘Plant the Seed’ very much recreates the spirit of early Depeche Mode, and if ‘Days Like This Will Break Your Heart’ and ‘Fool For Your Philosophy’ sound like Interpol / White Lies et al, they’re well executed and shows just how adept The Slow Readers are as songwriters. The songs feel considered, yet at the same time fluid rather than forced, and they know how to build tension and drama while remaining on the right side of pretension.
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Small wonder they’ve been getting the support of 6Music and many other major tastemakers: commercially accessible as it is, ‘Cavalcade’ has enough darkness and depth to distinguish The Slow Readers Club from, say, Bastille, and the vapid pap of the R1 playlist. The simple fact is that quality songwriting always shines and The Slow Readers Club truly excel. ‘Cavalcade’ is something special.
The Slow Readers Club Online
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