Shattered Atom begin the album's set as a statement of intent: 'Under the Stars' is grandiose, a rolling piano providing the backdrop for a stadium-sized chorus. It certainly displays all the hallmarks of a classic.
'Will You Call?' is a guitar and synth driven disco-pop indie-rock gem that sounds like it's straight off the first Killers album. But of course, The Killers got there first, which may explain why they're huge and Shattered Atom aren't - yet. However, having packed out venues across the US and appeared in front of a 17,000 capacity crowd at he MGM Grand in Vegas, it looks like they could get break through, and not just stateside.
'The Key, The Thief' possesses one thing that so many albums of late seem to lack, namely variety. If 'Then You'll Know' is a gently swinging indie-pop number (albeit underpinned by a thick bass over which a swirling vintage organ sound spirals), then 'Shadow' is a much darker affair, and benefits from chunky guitars and lightly distorted vocals while retaining an accessible edge, built around an immense chorus that lands it somewhere between Muse and U2. Despite being a fan of neither, I have to admit to finding Shattered Atom rather more appealing, perhaps because they deliver it without the pomp, the bombast, the ego. Whereas Muse sound like they're trying that bit too hard, Shattered Atom sound natural, unforced.
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If I was being harsh, I could say that the fact that so many of the songs sound instantly familiar after only a couple of plays is indicative of a generic sound, or of cherry-picking popular styles (there's a hint of Emo about 'Hold Me Closely' and 'Last Dance' suggests they've listened to more than a couple of later REM albums) to have the broadest possible appeal. But this would be unjust. It would be fairer to say that it's a credit to the band's abilities as songwriters to draw so many elements together to create songs that work so well without actually making the listener feel that they've heard it all before, and their sound does possess a rockier edge than many of their contemporaries.
'The Key, The Thief' is an ambitious debut and is the kind of album that sells by the truckload and becomes everyone's favourite new album before appearing on every end-of-year list. If enough people cotton onto Shattered Atom, it could yet happen...
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