Heavily touted English trio London Grammar are the latest act to release a debut album bearing the coveted 'much anticipated' tag. Formed in 2009, they have been quietly and successfully building a sizable fan base over the last few years; word of mouth and internet buzz saw them clock over 800,000 hits on Youtube for their song 'Hey Now' following the release of their first EP.
Mining the same sparse, emotive indie Rock that has worked so successfully for acts like The xx and Daughter, London Grammar are a band that seem perfectly poised to appeal to a similar pool of fans but their debut album If You Wait just doesn't connect in the same way.
It's hard to pinpoint why this is the case, but there is something chilly and aloof about so many of the songs on If You Wait. Singer Hannah Reid has a strikingly commanding voice, very much in the Florence Welch mode. It is technically very strong and takes centre stage on every one of these tracks as Dot Major and Dan Rothman create an ambient, spacious backdrop for Ms Reid's sometimes over dramatic emoting. It is an impressive sounding record, a rich and highly stylised package but one that fails to make any real emotional impact.
Occasionally, it hits its stride with the arresting 'Wasting My Young Years' and 'Strong' delivering what you would expect from a band that was widely tipped to be shortlisted for the Mercury Prize with this debut. But many of these tracks drift by without making any real impression - the polished, well produced sound failing to mask the fact that this is a record lacking in really outstanding songs. A song like 'Flickers' is dull and listless while 'Nightcall' sounds like a blatant facsimile of Lana Del Rey at her most overwrought.
If You Wait displays some promise but far too frequently settles for a mediocre middle ground that leaves the listener cold and unmoved.
Review by Paul Page | TWO POINT FIVE STARS
