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Album Details

• Artist: The Clientele
• Album: Bonfires On The Heath
• Label: Merge
• Year of Release: 2009
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: archelon on 2009-09-16

Awash with reverb, nods to surrealist literature and art and breathy vocals, 'Bonfires On The Heath' has only one major update to offer us from the previous offerings and that is more tinkling piano from Mel Draisey. It's an alright listen actually, nothing innovative but nothing blatantly plagarised either, just lo-fi lounge music. It would be great background music for a little comfy cafe, with low leather sofas, walls covered in abstract artwork and an early-morning London fog hanging outside the windows. (With this album out on the 6th October, this might well be the case anyway.)

As for the rest of the sound, there are some slow, psychadelic mood tunes and some faster, poppier tracks, which are a pleasant return to form for The Clientele. Hints of 60's hippy rock and funky riffs also crop up here and there, but they're fairly standard. The lyrics however are imaginative and well-delivered, in fact the whole album is well produced, well played and well mixed, and these things serve to rescue it from the lack of creativity a little.

It's all very comfortable and safe, but at least it's played with scrutiny, respect and great control. Some might say too great.

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