Infadels - Universe in Reverse

I stumbled upon the Infadels awhile back while listening to Last.fm. I'm pretty sure it was "Love Like Semtex" from their first album, We Are Not The Infadels. I was immediately hooked and soaked up the rest of that album.

Now, two years after that first release, I've got my hands on Universe in Reverse, the Infadels latest. Considering how much I liked their last one, I was understandably excited to hear the new material.

If you haven't heard them, the Infadels are a London-based rock outfit that surfs the edge of post-punk, disco-punk and mainstream rock 'n roll. If I was describing their first album I might compare them with bands like Radio 4.

This new album though is a strong departure from their danceable roots. Right off the bat "Circus of the Mad" says this is a band that has turned a page. Heavy funk bass lines have given way to a fuller, richer, guitar-led sound. There are more chorus-style vocals, tempo and chord changes, and less obvious melodies. It all leads to a more 'epic' sound. There are more nuanced synthesizers here. They surf near Kaiser Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand territory.

It's a gamble, making a move of this sort. You risk alienating your initial fan base for one you may not attract. Unfortunately, I think this is what will happen here. Their songs are well-produced, complex and full of intent and purpose. The problem is that few of them leave any real impression once they are done. As you listen to them, you can hear plenty of elements to appreciate but nothing really sticks.

There are exceptions to this. "How To Disappear" seems to have some of the urgency of their first album. "Code 1" has energy to spare, launching itself up and out from the rest of the album. It's fun keyboards and driving drums immediately reminded me of We Are Not.

All in all, this comes off as a tactical error on the part of the band. If anything, it's now obvious that band is extremely talented and can play a wide range of sounds. The mistake here was to try to push the band into a more generic, 'rock' sound that would play to a broader audience. It comes off like a dog that loves to run, who's been put on a really short leash. You can see the Infadels straining at it - they want to run. A note to whomever produces their next album: Let them.

MP3: The Infadels - Code 1

Purchase through Amazon - Universe in Reverse

The Infadels