aaamusic | On 20, Feb 2011

Everything Everything are a really surprising new band. Upon listening to Man Alive for the first time, one immediately realize that they are looking for the perfect song, they are in search of the right balance between quality, catchiness and originality.

Almost all of the songs of their remarkable debut album reach that goal making clear that they have very few rivals, their music melts very different things going from the 70s funky of  My Kz, Ur BF to the dreaming Coldplay-esque melodies of Nasa is on your side, while the bass/drums combo is lively and moves between punk-funk jumps and atmospheres a la Genesis, while listening to Weight, the last track of the album you can easily recognize a groove very similar to The Lamb. Also they refer to prog scene and are definitely influenced by Yes and Talking Heads.

All these elements put together could sound weird, but indeed they can write different songs, joined by their very personal style based on the unmistakable voice of Jonathan Higgs, who can face hard vocal lines and sublimely sing in falsetto without being tiresome or parodistic, on the contrary he gives Tin the manhole a Gregorian chant tone helped by a wonderful choir of white voices.

This is the magic formula of a band who released one the best albums of 2010.

Four singles have already been released and they are the most brilliant tunes, in particular MY KZ, UR BF has an irresistible funky groove with a syncopated singing sustained by bells and dreaming sounds of synthesizers.
Photoshop handsome underlines how Everything Everything can build a pop hit creating polished and original arrangements. Suffragette Suffragette is characterized by a prog structure with a melodic verse interrupted by distorted guitars and cut up to suddenly come back to the softness of melody supported by elegant sound.

Schoolin is one of the refinest tracks considering its structure and arrangement built with sudden breaks filled by a fake flute that announces a funky refrain not meant to take off, making the tune very original. To note the amazing instrumental variation made by clear guitars.
Final form is made of ethereal atmospheres sustained by a synth tapestry and guitars that come in gently on one of the poppest song of the album.
Two for Nero is based on the medieval spinet making it perfect for a noble ball while Qwerty Finger starts with a synth riff absolutely lively whereas the verse has post-punk echoes plus fast paced guitars making the song frantic.
Man Alive is the best debut album of 2010 for its complexity, searching for peculiar sounds and not banal structures. 10/10

Author: Roberta Capuano