Bombay Bicycle Club - A Different Kind Of Fix

‘Fix’ is the third album from Bombay Bicycle Club, and if you’ve been following me for the past 3 years you’ll know how much I like them. Their debut was my favourite album of 2009 and the second album, the acoustic record was my number 2 (topped only by Delphic’s debut). Their 3rd record represents yet another transition and although is a return to the electrical guitar based sound on the first record, it’s definitely a development.

Instead of the guitar riff sound on the first album, the presence of synthesizer and pedal loops is much more prevalent on this record as is the inclusion of Lucy Rose on backing vocals, who only serves to strengthen BBC’s sound even further. She made Flaws the record that it was and she also makes ‘Fix’ the album that it is. Her voice perfectly compliments Steadman’s on backing vocals and elevates the record to the next level. Although at times it is easy to get lost in the album, it’s a record that only gets better as you become more familiar with it. Lights Out, Words Gone is easily a contender for song of the year.

Favourite Songs - Lights Out Words Gone, Shuffle, Leave It, What You Want, Still

this is me, my girlfriend Monique, and Jack Steadman at the merch stand after last nights gig at St. Pauls in Birmingham. The band were really down to earth and stuck around after the show signing things and getting thier picture taken. As for the gig itself, it was pretty cool. They opened with Rinse Me Down and played a couple of songs from the new album. Jack played Flaws, Jewel and a cover song I didn’t catch the name of (not Fairytale Lullaby) just on his own, more or less. They did a couple of covers, and played Ivy & Gold obvs, and they also played acoustic versions of Evening,Morning and Always Like This as well as You Already Know and The Giantess. Lucy Rose who provides some backing vocals for Flaws opened the gig and she was really good too. It was pretty amazing, if you’re reading this and you have the chance to get tickets to some of the other dates, I would seriously consider it. It was a completely different experience than going to a gig at say the Academy or something.

Bombay Bicycle Club - I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose

I’ve already vented how I feel about this album quite alot already, which you can read here so I’ll avoid going over old ground…

This for me was the best record of 2009 for the following reasons:

1. The entire album flows perfectly from the opening song to the closing. At no point does the record die off, even at ‘Always Like This’ which in comparison with the rest of the record, bar the final track, is one of the slower ones.
2. This was the most refreshing and uplifting sound I had heard in a very long time. The whole ‘nothing new’ argument could still apply because of the “jingly jangly” guitar riffs mixed with good old fashioned indie rock riffing, but Jack’s vocals are amazing, and it seems to knit everything together perfectly making the whole record sound fresh and original even if it does take shades from other bands
3. Every single track has the ability to carry it’s own as a single release. There seriously isn’t a weak song, or a filler song on the entire album. Even the closing track ‘The Giantess’ which is a slower, live session recording could hold it’s own.

I could probably go on, if I sat here all day and thought of things, but I think I’m in danger of waffling on too much.
I cannot stress how good a record I think this is, it seems to have captured perfectly the live spirit of the band and produced the most catchy, enjoyable album I’ve heard in a very long time. I hate it when reviewers compare bands to other, more established acts, but there’s shades of Bloc Party, Editors, Interpol perhaps even early Libertines-ish guitar work in here, but instead of churning out the same old Brit-Pop sound, B.B.C. seem to have re-invented it and injected it with a youthful exuberance and made an outstanding debut record in the process.

Favourite Tracks: Lamplight, Dust On The Ground, Cancel On Me, The Hill