I bought this album on whim, having vaguely heard 'the pitch and yaw of satelites'(an old track from the days when the band still went by the vastly superior moniker of Youthmovie Soundtrack Strategies) some time ago.
Although some tracks took me longer to get into than others, this is a testament to the quality and depth of the songs. The 'naughtiest girl is the monitor' and 'last night of the proms' being the two tracks that really drew me; the former is very catchy, reminiscing about schooldays, 'ridiculous jeans' and 'rage against the machine as stock listening'; the latter has an absolutely boss riff, and to my mind subtly suggests that flag waving Prom-goers are fascists ('put your armbands on') while lamenting the lost potential of the country ('this new jerusalem / was never jerusalem').
Outside these standout tracks, though, deeper listening rewards you with some absolute gems. The album manages to be both sing-a-long and proggy at the same time. No mean feat, I'm sure you'll agree. The beautiful 'Archive it everywhere' includes some quite lovely imagery in its lyrics; "and if your breathing becomes narrow / i'll shut off the glare and make these dusty shafts of light depart ... if there's dust in the breeze and your alveoli/ those cauliflower sea anenomies contract / and make your visting breaths become shallow"
Elsewhere, Canulee has some genius percussion - I dare you to listen to the song without air-drumming. It's just not possible for any right thinking person.
In general, the excellent (if I'm any judge of brass musicianship. Which, obviously, I'm not) trumpet work gives Youthmovies another dimensions - the beginning of So-and-So and So-and-So being a prime example.
Check them out live too. Apart from their insistence in indulging the awfull adam gnade, they put on a damn good show.
