Band: The Subways
CD: All or nothing
Label: Warner Bros. Records
Rating: 3 out 5 pitchforks
Called the “best U.K. rock album of the year” by NME Magazine, The Subways’ newest album “All or Nothing” has all the elements of a standout record.
The CD itself is upbeat with rock and pop influences. Songs such as “Kalifornia” and “Shake! Shake!” are heavy on the bass line, while songs like “Move to Newlyn” are slower and have a more prominent acoustic guitar.
The instruments are played well and vocalist Billy Lunn’s voice is never too overpowering. Bassist Charlotte Cooper sings melodically over Billy’s voice, reminiscent of the band Fort Minor. In the song “Turnaround,” Cooper sings the chorus while Lunn screams over the guitars.
“I Won’t Let You Down” and “Obsession” are about love gone wrong. Unlike most songs of heartbreak, the songs refrain from whining about being broken hearted. The rest of the album focuses “living dangerously” and learning from your past experiences.
“All or Nothing” is a good CD, but does not bring anything new to the table as far as music goes. The trio does not really experiment with sounds or production tricks that have not been done before.
The songs will lift your mood and get you dancing, but it would have been for the band to go that extra mile and branch out.
On the plus side, the choruses are extremely catchy — and who doesn’t enjoy listening to a British accent?
The Subways could easily be the next breakthrough U.K. band and go a long way to becoming just that if they follow this CD with a U.S. tour.
Reach the reporter at natasha.karaczan@asu.edu.
