Darkly beautiful electronica... Did Chris Martin really have something to do with it?
Being a fan of the Donnie Darko soundtrack, my face lit up when I played ‘Your Love Means Everything’ for the first time. I am probably the only person who has a small selection of ‘bedtime’ albums, as I fondly call them, that glow with beauty and are able to send an insomniac such as myself to sleep. This re-release from Faultline is, simply put, stunning in places and does indeed glow with sleep inducing beauty. It glides with a melancholy grace, indefinable yet defiantly there, lurking amongst the talented vocalists which feature on this record. However, this is the kind of ghost album that will fade from magazines and newspapers quickly, but this does not mean to say that it’s less worthy of your time. It’s probably more worthy, for if you like dark, atmospheric music such as that featured on the Donnie Darko album or the lighter parts of NIN’s ‘The Fragile’ album, you’ll feel at home with this record. The Flaming Lips, Chris Martin and Michael Stipe all feature alongside Vordul Megilah (Cannibal Ox) on the track ‘We Came From Lego Blocks’ for a little variation. You can’t help but wonder if this re-release is partly due to the current success of Coldplay though. It drifts lazily from song to song, blurring into ‘Theme For Half Speed’, supposedly inspired by David Kosten (The art college drop-out behind Faultline)’s surreal car crash with armed robbers. It reeks of sadness and the fact it is devoid of vocals only makes it seem like it’s more alone in the world. From this scene of a deserted world, the haunting words of the Rolling Stones classic, ‘Wild Horses’ begins. Joseph Arthur’s voice, strong but controlled compliments his guitar perfectly. This is the first single to be taken off of the album, but how it will do is anyone’s guess- songs like this sometimes make it big, à la Mad World, but often they simply fade in the shadows of more radio friendly bands. ‘Biting Tongues’ is another highlight, its hypnotic sway is overwhelming. Again, ‘Clocks’ holds the same power as its bass line is startlingly menacing, making you wish it could continue beyond its ending. However, the next track, ‘Colossal Grey Sunshine’ is one of the best on the album. It features The Flaming Lips and deserves every ounce of praise this album will receive for itself along with the impressive ‘Greenfields’ sung by Michael Stipe. ‘Colossal Grey Sunshine’ aches with the dark pain and sadness reverberating through it, but it doesn’t drag you down into it’s gloomy depths for long as ‘I only Know Myself’ is a lot more upbeat- it sounds like the second half of Clocks.
Every listen of this album brings a new angle, every listen uncovers something different- an album that does indeed glow with beauty and intelligence.