Money // The Shadow of Heaven

I'm a woman who enjoys an album with her bath of an evening. There's something double relaxing about it. I listened to this album, from a group of Mancunian, philosophical (oooooh look how ironic our band name is!) and on-the-rise boys, whilst in the bath. AND IT RUINED MY BATH. It's been a long time since I listened to a whole album of awfulness, but I did it. For you, I did it. The band have been getting major props all over the place for their music, but somehow I couldn't see it myself. There are 10 songs on this album, with a front cover of a leaping boy, rather reminiscent of The Smiths (perhaps lead singer Jamie Lee?). Very northern, anyway. The album starts off with second single So Long (God is Dead), sounding initially rather Sigur Ros but with English lyrics. The lyrics are awful. Wishy washy. There's no tone to the singing, so one song he may sing 'Who's going to love you now?' in the same way that in the next one he croons 'Fell in love with the night time, she took me by surprise'. I can't tell how he feels about anything. Musically it's not bad at all, at times whispery quiet, others strings epic, quite Elbowy really. It's just the bloody awful endless and droning singing I'm afraid. Limp, too earnest and frankly, not ballsy enough for a northern group in my experience. Bung Alex Turner over the top of this music and they could have something special, but there's nothing here for me now. Now where's my towel?