Opener 'Breathe' immediately reminds me of Depeche Mode, even though this music is far away from synthpop. I think the reference comes from Techau's voice and song lines which are often quite similar to the synthpop deities. The reference will also remain present throughout most of the songs, often accompagnied by people like Nick Cave, David Bowie, Franz Ferdinand , Coldplay and Kaiser Chiefs . I guess that's not a bad set of names to be compared with.
My favorite tracks are the bluesy 'Brother' and the earworm 'Big City Dropout'. That being said, there are plenty of earworms on this album. I'm positive that some of these lyrics and vocal lines will be immediately recognizable when you hear these songs again. They also have the capacity to get stuck in your head, which in this case is a good thing. Other songs worth mentioning include the hit-sensitive tearjerker 'No Misgivings' and the indie rocker 'Iron Betty'.
So if you like decent songwriting skills, emotive rock ballads and a relaxed atmosphere, you surely have to check out this gem. It's just one of those albums that make your daily tasks a little bit more enjoyable, capable of putting a contented smile on your face. At least, that is what happened to me when I listened while doing the dishes. I'm sure this music is suited for a lot more activities than that too. So go ahead, get your hands on this album.
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