Rating:**1/2 out of 5
The second album from Australian act End of Fashion.
You have to keep in mind that this album is out through EMI/Virgin.Now, this is an important thing to know in accessing how good this album is.
EMI, one of the big "4" in the business, is host to some of the worlds greatest international acts and are in turn an iconic musical institution which produces quality music from around the globe. Rolling Stones, The Beatles, David Bowie, Coldplay, Pink Floyd,Dean Martin, Sinatra all have had extensive record contracts through this company, most of them released under the capitol label before EMI bought them out. They have a great track record of signing artists with a lot of promise, and subsidiary labels like MUTE,VIRGIN,HARVEST have become important parts of EMI's makeup over the last 20/30 years.
Harvest was an outlet for the more avant garde jazz and prog rock bands in the 70's to release music. Acts such as Soft Machine's Kevin Ayers, pre 1975 Pink Floyd,Kate Bush, The Move etc were prestigiously represented by Harvest Recordings as an outlet for the more left field types of artists at the time.
EMI's list of labels are too many to list here, however they have acquired rights to a lot of labels, whom without their collapse, EMI wouldn't of been able to obtain otherwise.
However, after EMI tried to buy out Warner Music Group in 2006, things started going downhill, and a rebuttle from WMG was to react to the proposition by buying EMI out. In the year of 2007, estimated losses of 260 million pounds was something that was unwelcome news for the company. They eventually had been bought out by Terra Firma Capital Partners on August of 2007, who after the transition cut back over 1500 jobs in the company.
So in having some background on EMI, you have a feeling of how big a concern they are, and that wanting to invest in talent should be a primary concern of theirs. Emerging artists should be progressed and selling records, continually meeting commercial expectations.
I've talked about how an act puts out a superior debut album, and is later plagued by the abscence of good material on the sophomore album. We have to tread carefully when we assess the merit of these such efforts, as our expectations are always high in the anticipation of a release like this.
The self titled debut of 2006 unleashed a polished and tight set full of pop rock hooks to please appetite of any beatles afficianado or someone that way inclined to like vintage pop. End of Fashion were a force to be reckoned with, and did what they do best, with tight catchy immediate hooks with sensitive vocals that compliment the solid songwriting. I was amazed to find such a source of anthemic bliss in the first sitting, and continued to enjoy it with multiple repeated listens.
Book of Lies differs from the debut, the quality of the material is still high but throughout repeated listens it reveals itself more and more. The debut was like a piece of musical cyanide which blows you away on initial exposure to it. Book of Lies is more of like a slow burning candle, it reaches it conclusion in a longer timeframe.
Highlights such as"Biskit", "Exotica" and "Fussy" are enough for this album not to become a pedestrian effort, however this album is by no means any leap forward and I was highly dissapointed with this album. Second album syndrome is rampent nowadays and it's definately disheartening to see such a talented group follow up a stellar debut with a lacklustre sophomore.
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