The Mystery Jets’ fifth album, ‘Curve Of The Earth’, is a record that asks for atmospheric mood lighting and incense sticks.
Taking its influence from the progressive and psychedelic bands of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, with its orchestral instrumentation, empty soundscapes, and pondering lyricism, it represents a new direction for the band. But they largely inhabit this bigger, more complex sound while managing to retain their pop sensibilities.
The combination of sharp melodies with prog works well on Telomere, Bubblegum, 1985, Taken By The Tide and The End Up, where the influence is subtle.
A little synth here, a guitar riff that sounds like a space beacon there, combined with tracks that carefully build and fall with Blaine Harrison’s soaring vocals, result in some modern stadium anthems.
Where it works less well is on songs such as Blood Red Balloon or Midnight Mirror, which overdose on nostalgia. Midnight Mirror contains the line "down the hole again", backed by a trippy sliding scale that ends up sounding like a pastiche. Bombay Blue and Saturnine, meanwhile, simply fail to catch the attention.
‘Curve Of The Earth’ challenges band musically, while still calling on the hooks that have sustained the Mystery Jets’ career since their debut 10 years ago. But the album as a whole falls a little flat thanks to more than a few missteps.
Mystery Jets Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Fri February 12 2016 - DUBLIN Whelans
Tue February 16 2016 - LONDON Electric Brixton
Thu February 18 2016 - BIRMINGHAM Institute
Fri February 19 2016 - MANCHESTER Gorilla
Sat February 20 2016 - GLASGOW Art School Glasgow
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