Guillemots

Red

Feb 29, 2008
12 Comments
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All those who loved Guillemots’ orchestrally sweeping debut ‘Through The Windowpane’, will most likely loathe this album. You see, Guillemots have unexpectedly gone all R&B on our asses, and not in a good way. ‘Red’ is more a poor parody of the genre than a booty shaker. The biggest culprit is ‘Big Dog’, which sounds like a George Michael track from the mid-’90s, and don’t get us started on the somewhat awful ‘Get Over it’. The forced jollity of the track is like something even Mika would be ashamed of. Frustratingly enough, there are brief moments of clarity throughout, like the psych-rock ‘Last Kiss’ and the gorgeous, twinkling ‘Standing On The Last Star’. If only Guillemots main man Fyfe Dangerfield hadn’t woken up one bright morning believing he could be indie’s Timbaland, this could have been a half-decent return.

Jamie Crossan

4 out of 10

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Comments (12)

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bigelephant

Feb 29, 2008

Oh NME, an album that doesnt sound like the bloody Cribs so you slate it. The fact that you dont even mention the glorious Kriss Kross just shows that this is yet another pathetic review.

Ekolod

Mar 1, 2008

Even though I'm a fan of Guillemots, I would have accepted this review as a possibly accurate opinion on an album which I haven't heard yet. But describing "Get Over It" as awful stripped the reviewer of any potential credibility.

cabbithunter

Mar 5, 2008

What a load of dribble. Having been lucky enough to hear the album already I can confirm that Jamie Crossan is a total tit.

hodgsonp

Mar 6, 2008

Sounds to me like this review is based on about 20 seconds of the album. Typical lazy NME journalism!

geofelgie

Mar 7, 2008

Only heard Kriss Kross and Get Over It from the album but that is enough to know that the reviewer is using an incorrect orifice. He might want to check he's not standing on his head 'cos he could do his neck a lot of damage that way!

troncaster

Mar 7, 2008

Have to second the last comment. I have only heard Kriss Kross and Get Over It. Sheer energy and imagination. This reviewer guy, I don't think has listened to it enough. Maybe he's a bit slow upstairs or summut?

tavula_rasa

Mar 9, 2008

This review is symbolic of the absolute rubbish that is printed in the nme these days. Clearly Fyfe Dangerfield's jeans are not tight enough for the nme.

heatherooo

Mar 30, 2008

how can you slate this album when it is the embodiment absolutely everything that the guillemots are about on stage? just because it's not your typical same old same old doesn't mean that it merits a review like this. clearly your single mindedness has tainted your view somewhat.

AlexP23

Apr 1, 2008

Maybe it was predictable that the NME would slate the Guillemots album... except they're right. As ugly as Through The Windowpane was beautiful, as clanging as that record was soaring, as hateful as the debut was lovable. It starts badly with the execrable Kriss Kross and just gets worse... Big Dog sounds as bad as its name suggests and only the last track is listenable. By then you're too bludgeoned to care. Unbelievably after their debut, this is a two-footed studs-up career-ender of a record. Worst of 2008? Quite possibly.

JeanieAU

Apr 1, 2008

R&B and the Guillemots in the same sentence??? I must be hallucinating as it's freakin' ridiculous!!! After loving "Through The Windowpane" I couldn't wait for their second album and out I was first thing last Monday morning to purchase it! I was a bit disappointed by the POS in Zavvi but felt triumphant when I found the new album "Red" and even more so after listening to it in full. We'd been to see them live in Manchester on the 9th of March and they were brilliant. And we can't wait to see them again in May. Whoever is criticising their new album doesn't have a taste for intelligent music. And that's what the Guillemots do best. I can't help but smile when I listen to any of their tunes, let alone seeing them live! If bands like "Scouting For Girls" and "The Feeling" are getting great reviews over the Guillemots, then I've lost respect for music jounalism. At least James Hurley realises the brilliance that is the Guillemots!!!

Hannah_Smith_

Apr 14, 2008

Jeanie don't loose faith in music journalism, just faith in NME for not caring about music journalism, more being obsessed with being cool. Go read Pitchfork or the Drowned in Sound website, much better