Review: O Emperor – Hither Thither
I am always weary of checking out debut albums of Irish bands, reason being there is normally no middle ground. They are either amazing or awful.
I think the best I can say about O Emperor is that they have finally found that purgatory of Irish music which has eluded us for so long.
The opening track of Hither Thither is a song called Don Quixote, and as an introductory track it gave me high hopes for their album. It captures every instrument – including a sometimes dominant piano, yet keeps the tempo at a pace which could find you dancing. Not dancing in the uncontrollable limbs kind of way, more of a head bob, but dancing nonetheless. Unfortunately as the album played through I found myself disappointed. No doubt their songs are fantastically structured and the band have immense talent, with an album that can honestly be described as beautiful. All that aside the bottom line for me was that it was painfully boring. Tracks like Heisenberg and Catch 22 made me want to fall asleep. While others may feel it is emotionally powerful, my problem was that I am NOT clinically depressed or getting over a terrible break up. Beautiful, yes, but even with lyrically positive songs like All Worked Out, this album is for teenage heartbreak or a birthday present for mum.
There is something I cannot quite put my finger on regarding the sound of O Emperor. They do not class themselves with any other genre than simply ‘indie’ which leaves a lot to the imagination of the listener. Even to draw comparatives is difficult on a general scale, as each song has a different direction while still collectively bringing each instrument to the table as equals. The piano, which is present throughout, is intelligently utilized to create a dept to the melodies, while the guitar plucking provides the listener with that modern sound. There are also similarities to Arcade Fire when analysing the drum beats captured throughout the album. There is no doubt the band have quality, and if there were more tracks like Don Quixote on the album I would be giving this album a lot more praise. Coldplay fans may enjoy this album a whole lot more, and I genuinely think this could be a marmite album for many, but it just aint my cup of tea.
Dave,
No offence; I say this with love; get a proofreader.
or a reviewer who knows music
this guy must have been listening to a different album to me its pure art ,class and will forever remain one of the top irish albums of the decade its just typical dat if you dont have a track featuring rihanna theres no point in trying to get people to appreciate what your doing
@stranger – only a couple of small things which I tried to sort there, even the best of us miss things, give the guy a break, if you spot something specific please feel free to forward to me.
@Raycleere – Just because you don’t agree with his opinion doesn’t mean he doesnt know music, that’s an outrageous statement.
@G_N_G_N_R05 – I do believe he said it’s a marmite album, love it or hate it, you happen to love it, he happens to not be overly impressed, kind of proves his point right there. He’s hardly looking for Rhianna to feature.
Very unjust review. Just because a song doesn’t have a thumping beat does not make it boring. Stick to the Dublin Clubbing Guide, plenty of beats there.
Never mind the ramblings of the part time music lover above………this is whats called a proper album review
***********************************************************************************************************************************
IRISH TIMES ****CD CHOICE: As debut albums go, this is fantastically assured and
accomplished. As Irish debut albums go, it’s in a league of its own.
There are moments on Hither Thither so musically resplendent, so lush and layered, that you’ll be put in mind of a Kid A, a Dark Side of the Moon or
a Gideon Gaye
Given O Emperor’s neophyte status, there’s a remarkable grasp of instrumentation and arrangement on show, along with the sort of eclectically shimmering sound that, historically, Irish bands have always made a hames of. From Waterford, O Em…peror have, despite a major label deal, crept up quietly over the last while. While a previous EP promised much, Hither Thither surpasses all expectations. From the snarly menace of the opener, Don Quixote , to the blissed-out Spaceman 3-like closer, Fat Lady Sings , O Emperor have taken the scenic route and found some very incredible new vistas. The sheer range is impressive in itself: Po has an insistent and jaunty pop guitar melody line that wouldn’t be that much out of place in Laurel Canyon in decades past. By utter contrast, Heisenberg is a woozily paced spectral affair. At different times you’re listening to West Coast FM sounds/post-rock wig outs/alt. indie Americana. And any band that can sonically reference both Jackson Browne and Syd Barrett in the space of a few minutes are well worth further investigation. Highlights here include Don’t Mind Me (which is screaming out for a Sean O’Hagan remix), the beautiful Sedalia and the rolling melodies of Catch 22 and December . Throughout, O Emperor use a judicious amount of instrumentation and, given the width and depth of their sound, manage to steady themselves as they scale some pretty vertiginous musical heights.
Never mind the ramblings of the part time music lover above………this is whats called a proper album review
***********************************************************************************************************************************
IRISH TIMES ****CD CHOICE: As debut albums go, this is fantastically assured and
accomplished. As Irish debut albums go, it’s in a league of its own.
There are moments on Hither Thither so musically resplendent, so lush and layered, that you’ll be put in mind of a Kid A, a Dark Side of the Moon or
a Gideon Gaye
Given O Emperor’s neophyte status, there’s a remarkable grasp of instrumentation and arrangement on show, along with the sort of eclectically shimmering sound that, historically, Irish bands have always made a hames of. From Waterford, O Em…peror have, despite a major label deal, crept up quietly over the last while. While a previous EP promised much, Hither Thither surpasses all expectations. From the snarly menace of the opener, Don Quixote , to the blissed-out Spaceman 3-like closer, Fat Lady Sings , O Emperor have taken the scenic route and found some very incredible new vistas. The sheer range is impressive in itself: Po has an insistent and jaunty pop guitar melody line that wouldn’t be that much out of place in Laurel Canyon in decades past. By utter contrast, Heisenberg is a woozily paced spectral affair. At different times you’re listening to West Coast FM sounds/post-rock wig outs/alt. indie Americana. And any band that can sonically reference both Jackson Browne and Syd Barrett in the space of a few minutes are well worth further investigation. Highlights here include Don’t Mind Me (which is screaming out for a Sean O’Hagan remix), the beautiful Sedalia and the rolling melodies of Catch 22 and December . Throughout, O Emperor use a judicious amount of instrumentation and, given the width and depth of their sound, manage to steady themselves as they scale some pretty vertiginous musical heights.
honestly did you even listen to the record not all songs have to be banging in your face,its stunning, great songwriting,amazing sounds,wonderful lyrics
all in all a classic !!!
honestly did you even listen to the record not all songs have to be banging in your face,its stunning, great songwriting,amazing sounds,wonderful lyrics
all in all a classic !!!
I am genuinely surprised that one mans opinion of this record has generated such heat! The mark of a true journalist! As Aidan said, everyone makes mistakes, and I am sure he does not have the luxury of an editor like print writers do, and therefore it is sad to see people pick up on these issues rather than the point of the article. The fact that there are so many people ready to speak up in defence of this record just goes to show that there is room for debate here. I really do not get the references to Rihanna and Jedward, when the review can be quoted with comparisons to Arcade fire (which I do agree with to an extent) and there are alot of positives in the review also. From what I gather, the reviewer has labeled this album as a ‘love it or hate it’ record, while he coyly sits on the fence. That is both intentional and clever.
best of not giving gplec anymore time on it they got it wrong put your hands up and bow to the emperor i mean honestly comaping coldplay in that world alone it just proves he has no idea on what he was reviewing
get over it gplec you messed up
“The piano, which is present throughout, is intelligently utilized to create a dept to the melodies, while the guitar plucking provides the listener with that modern sound.” Powerful stuff, Golden Plec. Once again you’ve outdone yourselves.
Congratulation standard internet keyboard warrior troll – You’ve outdone yourself