Can the decision not to tour a record improve its quality? It worked a treat for the Beatles in the late ‘60s but, of course, Metronomy aren’t the Beatles. Still, ‘Summer 08’ is the most carefree Joseph Mount has sounded in quite some time.
Where 2014’s ‘Love Letters’ was weighty and earnest, this fifth LP is playful and jocular. Even when a song seems like it’s going down a plaintive route, there’s always a funky lick or whimsical vocal to lighten the mood. “You’ll take your favourite band,” Mount sings on the initially hymn-like Night Owl. “That shit was always bad.”
It’s clear that Mount had a lot of fun creating this record in a more stripped back environment. But Hang Me Out To Dry, featuring Robyn, is further evidence of the frontman’s ability to reach out to external influences when needed. The track, which oscillates between warm, enveloping synths and a bouncy, bass-driven hook, is one of the album’s best.
Add to this Robyn’s superbly solemn vocal and you’ve got yourself a real gem. It is pretty spot on lyrically, too. “Take me down lonely roads, and to the old spots we know,” she sings, the record’s instrumental nostalgia seemingly spilling over into its words.
In fact, the the whole album is full of lyrical highlights like this. “I’ve got silver and signet ring, from night climbing and fine dining,” sings Mount on the waggish Old Skool, an artful critique on the lives of wealthy west Londoners. By this point, though, Metronomy’s words are reliable: when have they ever missed the mark?
In a way, it’s a shame that Metronomy aren’t touring ‘Summer 08’ as some of the tracks here would translate well into a live setting. On the other hand, maybe we wouldn’t have ended up with such a great record.
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