Aqualung

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Aqualung

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Here's Aqualung aka Matt Hales' debut album, and the subject matter of romance and unrequited love comes up again and again in this record, while the feeling of helplessness and chilled-out aura is created primarily by minimal piano sounds, acoustic guitars and lavish string productions. Hale's brittle vocals are bound to be compared to Thom Yorke's, and songs such as 'Just For A Moment' could easily be lifted off OK Computer. However, Hale's lonesome lyrics add to the desolate feel of the album, and his depressing and self-conscious songwriting is repeatedly moving. The anguish and heartbreak that surrounds the Volkswagen-sponsored 'Strange and Beautiful' makes it the stand-out track of the album, with Hales' recurring minimalist use of instruments in effective form. The whole album drips with melancholy and dryness, with 'If I Fall' and 'Gentle' as prime examples of that. However, this may be the where the shortcomings of the album is found. Despite the sad atmosphere that hangs around the whole record, Hales never really pushes the boundaries, and we are left with a record that genuinely moves the listener, but never truly inspires. An open and honest look into the fragilities of the heart, Matt Hales has provided a mesmeric debut brimming with bleak beauty and reflections, and he must be praised for that.

Ricky