CYMBALS
The Age of Fracture
Tough Love
Feb 10, 2014 CYMBALS
This new four-piece from London toss electro-psych, DFA-esque disco, and warbling synth-pop into a sack, shake them up, and dump it all out into a jumbled heap. Their debut record, The Age of Fracture, has a few highlights; there are several sure-fire winners in this mix. “The Natural World” sports crisp synth tones as robust as any vintage Trevor Horn production; the catty vocals and disjointed electronic flourishes in “Empty Space” call back to LCD Soundsystem, and New Order-ish lead single “Erosion” turns the reverb all the way up for its swirling guitar tones.
It makes you wish everything in between was on that same, strong level. The problem plaguing The Age of Fracture is inconsistency; the filler material is unmemorable and a little bland. You’ll find yourself zoning out waiting for your favorite tracks, or skipping some entirely. The tent pole tracks carry most of the album’s load. (http://www.sidewayssometimes.com#mce_temp_url#)
Author rating: 5.5/10
Average reader rating: 7/10
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