Engineers - In Praise Of More

Seit dem letzten Album "Three Fact Fader" wurden zwei Ingenieure ausgetauscht: Für Dan MacBean und Andrew Sweeney dürfen jetzt Matthew Gilbert Linley und der Deutsche Ulrich Schnauss den Sound der Band mit konstruieren. Gerade Schnauss, seines Zeichens Keyboarder, Produzent und Soundtüftler, sorgt für eine musikalische Feinjustierung der Engineers.
Sphärische Soundwellen umspülen nun Simon Phillips zurück genommen Gesang, und lassen Bass und Gitarre in die zweite oder dritte Reihe rücken. "In Praise Of More" ist eine Platte zum Darinversinken, die an Slowdive oder tiefenentspannte Pink Floyd erinnert. Der flotte Titelsong und das düstere "Subtober", das wie Massive Attacks "Inertia Creeps" in Zeitlupe klingt, stellen willkommene Ausnahmen in beinahe zu viel Wohlklang und Tagträumerei dar.

"In Praise Of More" Video

Opener ‘What It's Worth’ sets the pace; ethereal, almost drowsy, the synths enveloping the gentle strumming of guitars and warm backing vocals. ‘Subtober’ picks up the pace slightly with its insistent chugging guitar riffs and bass guitar stabs and ‘Lasvega’ features classic yearning vocals underpinned by melancholic acoustic guitars and more of Schnauss’ gorgeous synth play reminiscent of early Sigur Ros.

Best track on offer is 'To An Evergreen', a funereal stomper the heart of which is sliced open with mesmerising keyboards lines and icy guitar riffs, like Chapterhouse or Catherine Wheel with the benefit of improved machinery.

And the lyrics? Well, this is shoegaze; do you think anyone has broken down the lyrics to Slowdive’s ‘Souvlaki’ album? Simon Phipps vocals are so far down in the mix, they are incidental, they are another layer of the music, complimenting each other perfectly. It’s not all go-slow down the indie club, the title track and single is a deceptively boisterous rock out replete with techno bleeps culminating in a crescendo of white, but polite, noise showing that they can rock out with the best of them, just not very often.

This is an album damp with tears, slightly shaken by angst and should be given to most UK bands around at the moment to use as an example in making an album that is a joy to behold.
(clashmusic.com)