aaamusic | On 22, Jun 2011

Few hip, indie youngsters will be aware of Blue Aeroplanes, but they emerged in the 80s to release two crucial alternative-rock releases – ‘89s ‘Swagger’ and ‘91s ‘Beatsongs.’ This new record ‘Anti Gravity’ – released, at least for now, only on vinyl – is their 10th studio album from a career spanning 10s of members and 26 years.

Blue Aeroplanes, from Bristol, are often referred to as the British R.E.M. – and despite this being a lazy comparison, it is terribly easy to see why. Despite having supported R.E.M. in their heyday, and having collaborated with R.E.M’s Michael Stipe, the real reason the association is fitting is due to the similar elements of rock’n’roll and indie music that they fuse together. There is a strong Americana influence on this new album, as well as the tints of surf rock, blues, and folk that R.E.M. layer their alt-rock with.

Opener ‘Sulfur’ and ‘Go Along With Me On This One’ contain rocking electric guitars that are both thrilling and accessible, while ‘Great Movie Cliches’ and the emotive ‘Oak Apple Day’ – with its country-tinged intricate fingerpicking – contain acoustic folk influences, which show Blue Aeroplanes at their most somber. However, although the music is all pretty solid, it is Gerard Langley’s vocals that are the focal point for this band, and always have been. Flitting between Loud Reed-esque crooning and hazy spoken-word mutters, the steam-of-consciousness style singing may taste a little like marmite to some. The lyrics are some of Langley’s best in years, however they remain rather inconsistent – occasionally inspired, but equally often they sound sluggish and inane.

So, a fine album from the quiet heroes of UK alternative rock, but it’s unlikely they will have R.E.M or The Hold Steady worried about their respective alt-rock niches.

Author: Clive Rozario