The Domino Records singer/songwriter's second album is a departure from the hearth of his debut 'Homesongs'- although the first track 'Warning Call' hardly screams this with its simple guitar. It is the subsequent songs that personify the big sound which Adem is now embracing, which could still be deemed folk but with a futuristic collectiveness. So much thought has been poured into this work (most notably 'X is For Kisses') the man has layered voices sounding out the letters which begin each sentence sung (bar the letter 'x', obviously).Earthy handclapping merges into an industrial sound on more than a few occasions, while the choric backing and rudimentary percussion continues throughout the album - alongside the theme of space - which is sometimes cheesy in its blatant metaphorical nod ('Launch Yourself' and the title track).Probably the only complaint I have with it. It appears that Adem's main aim is to languish in the ether while intimating warmth, singing of "shifting tectonic plates" and tentatively bringing it back to the physical... OK, we could w*nk on about themes, metaphors, and delayed revelations for an equally unnecessary amount of time but what stands out here to me is the musical arrangement and his vocal delivery. His voice in 'Crashlander' could be likened to Rufus Wainwright; a beautifully rich comfort that's been pushed round the block a few times. Some might argue that he's horsed into more than he can chew for a second album, and that a raging hum of pretension pervades; but the fact that he had the courage to do so and gingerly carries it off is a wonderfully innovative and intelligent achievement. Or maybe I'm just a sucker for the combination of cowbells, fire crackers and distant drums. It's acoustic music for the 21st century. Listen to 'You and Moon' and 'Something's Going to Come' and then feel free to debate otherwise. Oh, and did I mention he's deaf in one ear?
