Posted on March 29, 2007
If you are unfamiliar with the band IdleWild, don’t confuse it with the mediocre film featuring Andre 3000 from Outkast. IdleWild prove its distance from merely average with its sixth album, Make Another World.
IdleWild hails from Edinburgh, Scotland, with members Roddy Woomble (vocals), Rod Jones (guitar), Allan Steward (guitar), Gareth Russell,(bass) and Colin Newton (drums). Make Another World has a very different vibe from the album preceding it, Warnings/Promises.
While the previous album was driven by drawn-out tracks with less edge and richer, warmer tones, Make Another World is quick and punchy, with one track jumping right into the next, giving an auditory workout to the listener.
This is not to say that the album lacks a softer side. Tracks like “You and I are both away” and “Lookin’ for love” provide a nice balance to the generally raw sound of the album as a whole, while still maintaining an overall theme with driving guitars and tight vocal harmonies.
Woomble is consistently solid on lead, without extending his boundaries toward a full-force vocal performance. It is clear when listening to this album that instrumentals are to be appreciated just as much, if not more than, vocals. Continuity is maintained by the presence of vocal harmonies in most tracks, but also lends to a melodic pop feel. However, several tracks verge on monotony as the intervals are similar and the placements expected.
Make Another World marks an important shift for IdleWild as a band. This album is its first recorded on its new record label, Sanctuary. Make Another World also showcases IdleWild’s newest member, Russell.
Instead of reeling from the changes, IdleWild has dusted itself off and started over, creating something fresh and original, proving a desire for forward motion instead of the complacency most bands achieve after being together for a long time. The album proves that the band shows no signs of settling into a particular sound that could serve to pigeonhole it in the future.
The single from the album, “No Emotion,” will be released on April 3. The track is crude but catchy, exemplary of the tone of the entire album. Other highlights of Make Another World include the two minute tour-de-force “If It Takes You Home” and “Finished It Remains,” which showcases Woomble’s insightful lyrics and lead guitarists Steward and Jones’ knack for steady, driving riffs that carry the song.
Those who are already fans of IdleWild’s music should be pleased with this release, and for those who are not, Make Another World is an excellent place to start.
