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Rating: Evidently, the black sheep also graze in Manchester.
These unusual "sheep" have a name: Nine Black Alps. A quartet from the hometown of the Stone Roses, they were signed by Island after their first live performance in a hotel room (!). After a few well-received singles, their debut "Everything Is" was released in 2005; when everyone was busy exalting the new-wave revival, they ventured into an abrasive rock with strong post-grunge hues, without, of course, neglecting (given their origin) excellent melodic inserts. They followed up with performances as supporters for major acts like Weezer and Kaiser Chiefs and at important festivals (Glastonbury, T In The Park, Leeds, Reading).
As of today, Nine Black Alps seek definitive recognition with this new work, christened "Love/Hate". Regarding the choice of producer, the group led by the charismatic frontman Sam Forrest tries to play it safe and opts for the experienced Dave Sardy, a prominent name and producer for Jet and Oasis.
"Love/Hate" represents a partial shift from their promising debut: if the expressive urgency in the debut album was entirely encapsulated in sounds built from abrasive and edgy guitars, in the new work the melodic aspect is more studied and refined, despite the "grungy" patina.
More Ash than Nirvana, therefore, starting right from the first two singles "Bitter End" (nothing to do with Brian Molko's Placebo) and "Burn Faster", cunningly placed at the beginning of the work; a blueprint also followed in the construction of melodic snapshots like "Future Wife" (the most "forward" of the lot in this sense) and taken to extreme application in the foggy melancholy of the closing track "Under The Sun". But what you love, you don't forget, hence the Cobain-esque flair of "Forget My Name" and "So In Love", counterbalanced by the delicacy of "Happiness And Satisfaction" (almost as if hearing the more introspective Foo Fighters) and the always catchy but more claustrophobic "Everytime I Turn".
Sam Forrest and company have ultimately crafted a concise, incisive, compact second chapter that is of short duration (which sometimes isn't a bad thing at all), looking to the past but also thinking of constructing the future, adding ingredients to a formula that, as we know, might otherwise risk wearing thin very soon.
Black sheep promoted, therefore. Hoping they don't lighten up too soon.
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