As a huge fan of 80's music, I always love when a new band comes along that taps into the spirit of modern rock and synth/pop from that era. Animal Kingdom did just that with The Looking Away. A nice combination of the upbeat and moody, the London based band's sophomore album places at #20 in my Best of 2012. My original review is below.
Favorite Tracks: "Strange Attractor", "Skipping Disc", "Get Away With It", "Alone Together"
Yet more excellent indie pop/rock by way of the UK thanks to the London based Animal Kingdom. The trio arrived on the scene with 2009's Signs And Wonders, an album that gained plenty of critical praise, as well as song placement in numerous television shows and movies. Now they've returned with the follow-up and it joins the list of top pop/rock releases coming from the UK this year.
The Looking Away draws heavily on the 80's for its influences, even the album cover screams of that decade. Many of the songs fit right in with the modern rock sound of that era, though there are also forays into Brit-rock and straight up danceable pop tunes. It's an eclectic listen even complete with a couple lovely ballads, the piano-laden "Straw Man" and album closer "Alone Together", which draws on acoustic guitar and the vocal work of Richard Sauberlich. He particularly shines on "Skipping Disc", a pleasant acoustic based mid-tempo pop tune until the stunningly beautiful chorus drenched in Sauberlich's falsetto.
"The Art Of Tuning Out" is a moody rocker, while "Get Away With It" mixes a little synth-pop with its rock, with an infectious chorus to boot. First single "Strange Attractor" is another standout, again mixing electronics with melodic pop and a memorable, soaring chorus. It's no surprise the song made a mark in the alternative charts earlier this year and deservedly so.
This one slipped under my radar when it was released back in July, earlier as a download, but thankfully as I re-visit releases I missed from each year, gems like this one find their way back to me.
The Looking Away was released physically July 17, 2012 on Boombox/Mom + Pop Records. It was originally released as a download only on May 8.
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