With NME having described Skying as ‘a bold and beautiful step forward’, and giving it a generous eight out of ten, and The Fly awarding it with a seldom seen five stars, it would be nothing less than an understatement to say that it has achieved somewhat excellent acclaim from critics. Thus, prior to my first listen a slightly sceptical feeling overcame me, and I found myself pondering ‘can this record really live up to all the hype?’
Skying is the third offering from the Southend-on-Sea five piece and it is obvious from the first listen that their sound has considerably matured and mellowed since their debut, Strange House, in 2007. Glimmers of this calmer, less angsty sound shone through in 2009’s Primary Colours, yet it still contained some of Strange House’s anger. Now, 2 years on, Faris and co have emerged with something more rhythmic, and despite having a clear 80’s influence Skying somehow seems new, refreshing and is many miles away from the raucous snarls of ‘Jack the Ripper’ et al.
The introduction to opening track ‘Changing the Rain’ possesses some characteristics of The Horrors’ trademark haunting sound, but somehow manages to sound more upbeat with its heavily percussive backing track, intertwining with Faris’ smoother, less raw warblings. The dominant synths in ‘You Said’ unpredictably give the song a slightly dancey feel, emphasising how the band have evolved. This sound continues into ‘I Can See Through You’, which somehow manages to remind me of an up-tempo Joy Division/Echo and The Bunnymen hybrid (if that's even possible).
Skying’s main single, ‘Still Life’ has received swarms of attention, surprisingly from Radio 1 of all places, and I would say rightly so. The track progressively builds up into the chorus of ‘when you wake up, when you wake up, you will find me’, which is bound to be anthemic at this summer’s festivals. Another highlight of Skying is definitely the eight minute track ‘Moving Further Away’, featuring another catchy, repetitive chorus and more impressive synths. The album bows out with the seven minutes of ‘Oceans Burning’, a welcome comedown from possibly the album’s most raw track, ‘Monica Gems’, which I feel is probably most reminiscent of the first two albums.
Despite my apprehensions at first, Skying has done anything but disappoint me. It is evident that the band has had the freedom to produce an album which is true to them, and we should probably all be grateful for this. Skying is an album which to me seems timeless, well crafted, and fulfils all the promise seen in Primary Colours. Perhaps in the future I shouldn’t be so doubtful when a record gets a rip roaring reception from critics?
