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Jul 28, 2016 Metronomy By Dan Lucas

It feels slightly wrong to praise Metronomy for a lack of pretentiousness—akin, almost, to Joe Satriani being minimalist or Liam Gallagher in tune. There probably isn’t a single act that epitomises 2010s likeable-but-nothing-special Brit hipster music, but Metronomy are about as near as damn it. Furthermore they are originally from Totnes and, speaking as someone who has spent many holidays around there over 30 years, a more precious small town you’ll struggle to find.

Summer 08 is Metronomy stripped back and as a result plays to frontman Joseph Mount’s strengths. The rest of the band has all but gone by the wayside: something that perhaps needed to happen given the slightly anaemic nature of previous album Love Letters. It was by no means a terrible record, but it was one that suggested Mount was perhaps running low on ideas. Summer 08 assuages such fears.

What we have is essentially a Joseph Mount solo album and it transpires that he is an outstanding writer of disco-influenced electropop. “Hang Me Out to Dry” and “My House” epitomise the best of the album, with their warm ‘80s synth sounds, while lead single “Old Skool” is the kind of upbeat dance number you wouldn’t be surprised to hear on a DFA release (and comes with a video starring Ben Crompton, aka Dolorous Edd from Game of Thrones!).

Admittedly the album is a touch samey in places. The aforementioned “Old Skool” is the third track on the album and by the time you get to it there is a sense of having heard it before; I had to look up which of the opening three songs was the single despite having heard it several times before. In mitigation, however, it is immediately followed by a welcome change of pace (with the bassy “16 Beat”) and this is Metronomy’s first album since their debut recorded solely by Mount. It might also be their best. (www.metronomy.co.uk)

Author rating: 7.5/10