Review: Revolutions In The Head - My Preserver
When an album is nominated as the dbut album of the year by the XFM Music New Awards and we are only five months into the year, I suppose one should stand up and take notice.
Formed in 2007 in West London, My Preserver class themselves as Alternative Rock and upon hearing the techno and industrial elements in their dbut album, Revolutions In The Head, alternative is definitely the term to focus upon.
The sound of the album itself is layered and well rounded, with a variation of styles from the slow contemplative Puzzles to the generic but evocative King Jesus. Yet there is nothing wholly original about the sound of this dbut when obvious parallels can be drawn to artists such as Muse and Nine Inch Nails.
There is something nostalgic about this album, from the Pink Floyd style child-chorus of Children of The Capitalist to the angry, dissident lyrics. Unlike many new bands that use topical and political songs to overpower their lack of musical skill and pursue an agenda to seem ‘deep’; My Preserver seem to avoid this stigma by producing a good quality album with well written lyrics. Although the anger and disdain for modern politics is palpable, it does not interfere with the enjoyment of the music itself.
To say that this is a politically charged tirade would be an understatement. With comments such as: “So long as oil buys you power, I’ll just sit back and watch.” (Green Wash) and “When I die I only want to know if you’ll see me as a terrorist when I’m... falling out of the airplane, at the cost of all my faith.” (Terrorist), politics is unavoidable. But, despite the obvious messages of the songs they remain well written pieces of music that can entertain as well as evoke a response.
Loose Change is currently available for free download via My Preserver’s MySpace page but is one of the weaker songs in comparison to the rest of the album. This track is largely synthed with scratchy guitar and hard-hitting lyrics, which encompasses what you should expect from the rest of the album, but it does not have the raw edge of You Know Something That I Don’t... or Terrorist.
Whilst this is a strong dbut with great production, I would not hail it as wholly original. Much of the album is similar to the dissatisfied, system-hating rock of the 90s with modern post-9/11 angles thrown in. Although it is refreshing to hear modern dissidence articulated over well written music rather than muttered for the sake of it. This is an album with real anger and although it uses old voices to make itself heard, it deserves to be heard.
Lastly, from a design point of view, the CD itself is an enjoyable keep-sake for those of you who still like buying CDs. The lyric booklet is beautifully composed with notebook style scrawl and the cover itself is reminiscent of Smells Like Teen Spirit with the pool motif and stark photographic layout.
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