As promo packages go, this is pretty slick: 2 discs are housed within the cover, a 2-track CD and a DVD containing a video for the lead track 'Everything'. Style's one thing, but what about substance?
The music itself isn't so slick, and this is a good thing: instead, it's warm and richly produced, main man Kevin Barrie's grizzly vocal having a whisky and cigars feel to it, with the simple acoustic accompaniment wrapped up in strings and percussion that remains at a respectful distance. The chiming guitars that weave to the face are gentle and wash over the listener. This is post-rock folk, and rather good.
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'Retreat to Silence' feels like Joshua Tree era U2, only paired back and without the stadium rock feel. Again, there's a warm feel to the sound, which contrasts well with the lyrical bleakness, with Barrie crooning the coda 'we love you, but you're broken' before the guitars taper off and leave only silence. Nice. Very nice.
The Matinee Idles online
The Matinee Idles on Myspace
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