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.