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Fur PatrolCollider UMG It's always a great feeling to watch a band develop. Rightly or wrongly, there's a real sense of ownership; a sense of pride in hearing a great album from a group who you could really have excused for falling apart at the seams by this point in time. Fur Patrol have had precious little go their way over the past few years, and 'Collider' is a towering monument to their self-belief. The slightly twisted guitar pop that characterised debut 'Pet' is still firmly in evidence, but this time around it's under the influence of their far rockier live sound. Producer Mark Wallis has come up trumps, encouraging the players to really stretch the music as far as it will go; the heavy parts are heavier, the quieter passages nearly whispered. It starts with a bang. Precious is probably the spunkiest song to ever grace a television commercial (Boost Juice in this case) and new single Get Along - a live fave for years - is built around a groove that could carve canyons. Singer/guitarist Julia Deans' vocals are stronger and more assured than previously, and the band sound more confident behind her - knowing when to up the ante and when to pull back and let her guide them, as they do on Softer Landing. The pace slows somewhat mid-record, but 'Collider' never loses your interest. Fade Away moves things along beautifully, and will one day be recognised as one of the best songs to come out of New Zealand. In fact, NZ hasn't produced a riff this insistent since the mighty Head Like A Hole gave us Faster Hooves all those years ago. But they're not done yet. Someone You Really Want is a slinky, creepy workout that builds to a devastating climax, and album closer Little Heart proves nothing before it was a fluke. Fur Patrol have just delivered an album that by rights should see them the band of the moment. It's thoughtful, it's compelling, and it rocks. Rightly or wrongly, I'm more than a little proud of them. |
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