Only Revolutions

by

Biffy Clyro

Edit

It is no secret that a lot of Biffy Clyro's longer-serving fans are disillusioned with the direction the band are taking. A move towards the mainsteam has seen them start to produce more polished, rounded recordings, compared to the heavy, angst-filled grunge that they wrote and performed so explosively on their debut album, 'Blackened Sky'.

Their musical journey has seen them grace aspects of prog, metal, and the brand of pre-emo which Pearl Jam and Weezer accomplished before them. Throughout their career as musicians, Biffy's creativity has to be their most delightful attribute. The time changes and instrumental fills, as well as the majestic and sometimes outrageous lyrics that grace 'Blackened Sky', 'The Vertigo of Bliss' and 'Infinity Land' make for genuinely interesting and thrilling music.

With 'Puzzle' came a sound more suited to, for want of a better word, 'pop'. Biffy had finally hit the mainstream, and to some extent, following the progression of their earlier albums, this was a natural move. 'Puzzle' blended the band's thirst for new ideas and concepts with frontman Simon Neil's grief and apathy following his mother's death, with a smoother sound which the band hadn't looked to release before.

With 'Only Revolutions' comes the band's triumphant proclamation that they have made it big on the rock scene. This album is packed full of massive songs, with huge choruses and heart-felt lyrics. It bleeds power and emotion from start to finish. Almost every song is anthemic in terms of content and quality. As a fan of Biffy's older material as well as their new, this album is just as good as any of the others- it is just different to how they began. And what is wrong with that? After all, there would be no point recording the same music over and over again.

'Only Revolutions' is the finished concoction of Biffy's trademark big choruses and heavy guitar riffs, with orchestral sections for an added dimension on a number of tracks- as used to great effect on 'Living is a problem' and '9/15ths' on 'Puzzle'- and a mainstream accessibility which is hard to pin down. It isn't the absence of irregular time signatures- 'Cloud of Stink' and 'Whorses' provide these in seemless fashion. It isn't the absence of powerful, dirty guitars- an immense instrumental section on 'Bubbles', which features Josh Homme, is testament enough to this, or indeed the thought-provoking lyrics, which are everywhere- 'Many Of Horror', one of the most poignant tracks on the album, being a prime example. Perhaps it is just an awareness that now the band are writing for the fans, rather than the relatioship being the other way round, with the fans being written as a result of the music.

Make no mistake, this is a superb album. A combination of brilliantly written songs, complete with heavy instrumental sections and pieces of melodic and lyrical genius (such as the beautiful 'God And Satan' deomonstrates), this album will appeal to any fan of rock music. The band's famed quirkiness and innovation (the irresistibly eccentric 'Born On A Horse') are there, as are the ingredients of any other memorable rock album.

Practically every song on the album could be a potential single release, such is the strength of each as an individual piece. However, this is perhaps a case of the album's strength being its weakness. It doesn't flow in the same what that 'Puzzle' or 'The Vertigo Of Bliss' does. 'Only Revolutions' is, perhaps, a collection of songs, rather than an album.

That said, it is a collection of exceptionally good songs. Loud, quiet, heavy, soft, love, anger- it is all there. Whether it is the pulsating instrumental breakdown in 'That Golden Rule', or the arms-in-the-air anthem that is 'Mountains', 'Only Revolutions' does fulfil almost every hope and expectation for such an album- except, maybe, the desires of the band's original fans. This is indeed a revolution: and it sure is a good one.

The release of 2007's Puzzle saw Kilmarnock's Biffy Clyro garnering an evergrowing

fanbase. Featuring driving, angular rock and some truly anthemic choruses, it appeared to mark their preparation for rightful ascent into the mainstream consciousness.

Perhaps in an attempt to reassure the Biffy 'faithful' (a fervently elitist group refusing to acknowledge any of the band's musical output post-Infinity Land) looking for another `Vertigo of Bliss', record company hype would have us believe Only Revolutions marks a departure from the more commercial leanings of Puzzle. A puzzling (no pun intended) claim then considering that - if anything - it sees Simon Neil and his crew travel further down that path than ever before.

The last 18 months have seen reassuring glimpses of brilliance in the form of

the album's first two singles 'Mountains' and, more recently, `That Golden

Rule'. Both are standout tracks, yet strangely at odds with an album equal

parts pure awesomeness and missed opportunity. It is either testament to the band's strengths or representative of flawed genius that they feel confident enough to relegate such gems as `Time Jazz' and `Eyelids' (That Golden Rule EP) to mere B sides. Yet it is precisely this apparent lack of focus that has produced much criticism in the past, viewed by many as an inability to recognise standout tracks from their own (admittedly prolific) catalogue.

Opener `The Captain' is perhaps the band's most obvious attempt at a hit

single yet, a mantra-like chorus held aloft on a wave of stabbing horns. Met

with more than a little derision by the internet faithful on its release as a

single, it's a definite grower and sure to get fists pumping at festivals across

the land next year. Perhaps the album's biggest surprise comes with the arrival early on of `Bubbles'. A remarkably uplifting gem, it marks Biffy's growing mastery of melody and songwriting dynamics on a track surely destined for future classic status.

`Born on a Horse' boasts an elastic bassline that would be at home on either

of the last two Muse albums. Despite Simon Neil's intriguing, trademark angular riffs and offbeat-but-ever-so-slightly-funky time signature, it ultimately fails to get off the ground. In an album seemingly in thrall to the mystery of

relationships (the title Only Revolutions is drawn from Mark Z. Danielewski's

novel of the same name - a story that explores the nature of relationships)

`Shock Shock' is all relationship angst and raw fury as Neil spits "I don't even

know what the f*ck we're still arguing about".

Puzzle also marked a newfound strength for the band in ballad territory,

featuring crowd favourites `Folding Stars' and `As Dust Dances'. Revolutions

continues this trend with `Many of Horror', a sincere, heartfelt pledge sure to

see lighters aloft live. The album picks up pace towards its close with the

unbridled optimism of tracks such as the rather oddly-titled `Cloud of Stink'

during which Neil invites us to "Swing if you wanna swing" followed by `Whorses' and its relentlessly infectious blend of swelling melody and driving

beats (the less said about `Know Your Quarry' the better).

Album closer `Sky Demon' is a rather paint-by-numbers exercise in versechorus-

verse blandness, ending the album on a strangely disconnected note. It is precisely this lack of cohesiveness that represents Only Revolutions' biggest problem. For every standout track (of which there are many) there is simply uninspired filler waiting in the wings. The resulting whole comes across as confused, inspired and chaotic all at once - making for a strangely disaffecting listen.

Here's to the next album then boys.