And wasn’t this one welcome in the Review Corner? We loved their second album Cadenza back in 2011 and even went to see them tour, but follow up third album Out of Touch, In the Wild was just dull. We were sad.
Now they’re back with a fourth (the debut self-titled album came out on a German label) and it’s back to form.
Dutch Uncles are from the home of rock n roll, Marple, and their sound is shaped by the falsetto, androgynous vocals of frontman Duncan Wallis. We think Cadenza (and this new one) work because while the vocals dominate the sound, the precise math rock with its odd time signatures adds to the effect; the dull album seemed to let the music slide into more predictable tunes and just didn’t work. Fans of Wild Beasts (with whom they’ve toured) should love it.
Standouts, there are none, as it’s an album to listen to as a whole, though Decided Knowledge is perhaps a good place to start. It’s interesting pop with lots of melody and a distinctive sound, and well worth checking out. Buy Cadenza while you’re at it.