There are some nice moments on 'All That Fall' where the guitars and drums break out and create a grey, pencil-sketched soundscape that has more than a hint of Joy Division had they been given a fuzzier, hazier production instead of the crisp, dry atmosphere that Martin Hannett gave them, and as such, fall into a kind of shoegaze Interpol zone, or, perhaps, given the female vocals, it wouldn't be a million miles off the mark to draw comparisons with The Organ. I very much like all of the aforementioned touchstone acts, so why am I not raving about this?
The first obstacle lies in Sophie McGrath's voice. It isn't bad, but she does possess a style and tone that requires some adjustment. Still, I've felt the same about many vocalists who I've subsequently grown to love. Second, the production doesn't really seem to put the band across in the best possible light. Sonic haze I like, but this is perhaps just too woolly. Finally, there's the material. There are some great moments, both dreamy and tense. However, neither of these tracks really 'does' much. 'In Orbit' is just a little too meandering and laid-back, so as to be vaguely soporific, while 'All That Fall' has an unusual structure - commendable in itself, were it not for the fact it seems to peter out, as though the band couldn't really decide how best to end it.
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