This Modern Glitch

The Wombats' original sounding and young boldness

The British indie-trio The Wombats was formed not so long ago: native Liverpudlians vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist Matthew Murphy and drummer Dan Haggis and Norwegian-born bassist Tord Шverland-Knudsen met in 2003 and started from playing other performers’ songs. The Wombats released its very first single Girls, Boys, And Marsupials three years after their meeting. Some time passed, and 2007 saw the release of its successful debut album The Wombats Proudly Present: A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation. The record’s main single was the hit Let's Dance to Joy Division, which has remained one of the favorite songs among millions of young people in different corners of the world. The guys began to work on their new album at least two years ago, the recording took place in California with the participation of such renamed and experienced producers as Jacknife Lee (R.E.M., Snow Patrol, Weezer) and Eric Valentine (Lostprophets, Good Charlotte). On hearing the incredible first singles in September the band’s fans got delighted at once and were anticipating the release of its sophomore effort. Finally this spring the disc This Modern Glitch has appeared on store shelves to their great satisfaction. Once again the record has taken in all the best British indie-rock traditions flavored with The Wombats’ original sounding and young boldness.

Escapism, hedonism, a little bit of irony and humor on This Modern Glitch

The main ideas on both the first and the second of The Wombat’s works are entertainment, pleasant pastime and running away from day-to-day life, from work routine, the surrounding world’s cynicism and pragmatism – in short, escapism, hedonism, as well as a little bit of irony and humor. The album opens with the contagious beat and backing vocals on the memorable composition Our Perfect Disease, built on a faultless bass line contrasting with the vulnerability note in Murphy’s vocals. The first single Tokyo (Vampires And Wolves) has become one of the most successful in the entire history of the band’s existence: its danceable rhythm, escapist lyrics and the ideas shared by most young listeners. Another single Jump Into The Fog, a bit heavier as compared to the previous tracks, is also filled with desperate searching for salvation from everything one is sick and tired of in the modern society’s life. The third song in this cohort, Anti-D, starts with a melodious synthesizer part and turns into a real anthem to freedom from depression and gloomy mood. Powerful guitars and drums on the chorus of Last Night I Dreamt... give way to a soft melodious verse, whereas another perfect number to be performed at a stadium Techno Fan is filled with beautiful metaphors describing the careless leisure time opposed to heavy thoughts of the world’s situation. The song Walking Disasters is probably remarkable for the most successful guitar riff on the entire album due to which it is memorable from the first listening, and for its unusual ending. The record closes with another hit nominee Schumacher The Champagne: once again it is based on almost a dance rhythm, then turning into an emotional rock-anthem with a simple but bright and unforgettable tune, powerful vocals and drive in general.

Everything genius is simple

Each of this band’s videos as well as most of its songs is not remarkable for their novelty or the depth of ideas, but this is where all their value lies. This music is for everybody, one is not willing to reflect about one’s hard fate while listening to it, or solve any universally important issues. It is pure relaxation, enjoying the simplicity, optimism and personal happiness cult. Vocalist and two back-vocalists who are also musicians create simple harmonies, both vocal and melodious, and their lyrics are interesting for the fact that with quite a low word density they manage to tell about entire tendencies in such a way that some life area, be it work or studies or family life or whatever, and its influence on everyone circulating in it. On the whole the album This Modern Glitch is listened at a breath leaving the listeners in the state of delight, but not without a strange feeling of concern because of the metaphors and imagery strokes referring to everything this music strives at forgetting about. Thus, The Wombats has not only overcome the second album syndrome - This Modern Glitch is definitely a worthy successor of the previous album – but has also confirmed once again the truth that everything genius is simple.