STAIREO - (SELF TITLED)
I guess the term f&$*ing AWESOME is a gross understatement here. Surprising what can confront you when you stick a CD into the drawer & press play. A blasting pop-rock band who were the obviously worthy winners of a nationwide competition in their home country & they then set about creating some of the finest fuzzy, feelgood rock tracks I've come across in a long time, probably the equivalent of the likes of the debut album from Weezer or even heading back to Nirvana's Nevermind album - yes, it's that cool.
This is one very very good debut album & it's not often I come across an album which will really make me sit back & listen, but this is definitely one that has, from the very opening strains of the massive wall of sound that is "Let's Go Out", which in itself is quite simply a very well written piece of powerful poppy rock, not veering into side-teritories such as punk, sticking firmly in with great, catchy songs.
The vocals in themselves are something that stand out here too & that's no mean feat when you're already presented with a couple of songs into an album that's already overflowing with blistering riffs & cool percussion. Second in is "Lifesaver", which is the equal, if not even better than the opener, no mean feat for such an impressive opening gambit, pretty much you'll already be bouncing off the walls singing along, even though you haven't got a clue what the lyrics are.
Next in is "Henry", which although a great song, doesn't quite have the impact of most of the others here, though it's by no means at all a bad song & it too is catchy in it's own right. That said though, it's easily eclipsed by the next track in, "Idiot", which is the track that confirms the sheer genius of the band, with an absolute corker of a song. There is no doubt in my mind that on any other album, this would be the standout song of the lot, but as this is no ordinary album, there's yet better to come, the band surpassing one of the best tracks around later on in the album.
Yes, folks, it just keeps getting even better, with each passing track seeming to bring new & improved riffs, matched by superb production work as well. "Looking For" is another track that provides what seems like hours of inspired guitar driven fuzzy pop, but in reality, it's over all too soon, after just a few minutes & we're on into the next piece of mastery of the art of guitar, the likes of which no doubt have inspired the countless air guitar competitions around these days.
It's as we head into the middle of the album, hitting "Punk" that the references to Weezer start coming to mind. It's really only a passing similarity, but the feeling that you're listening to a masterful display of how to write a pop song is exatcly the same as that of my first listen to Weezer's debut effort & I have no doubt that given the exposure, this band are definitely headed to that same peak.
Another fine effort pops up with "Get You", which is one of the highlights of all the highlights here & spotting those is not particularly easy when you have an album that hits you like this one. This particular track is not a particularly fast & hard track, but the timing of the choruses is just perfect & once again that great lead is fantastic & it's another of those songs you seem to have known forever, even though you haven't come across it before.
A slightly slowed back feel creeps in on "She Knows", which is a little surprising, but the relentless pop here is definitely still coming in loud & clear. Once again, there's nothing to really define it as a great pop song over anything else here, but it just works, full stop. You're left in no doubt by the end of this song that the work of some extraordinary musicians is behind the whole album, when in fact, there is plenty more to come along.
Unfortunately, we're nearing the end of the album, but there's a few more surprises left for you here, with "Falling From The Stars" another gem, while we'll leave the best until last, skipping over a couple to closer "Barlowskoje", which mellows the whole album out, some strings & piano or something similar creeping in, closing the album out on a completely unexpected note, finalising one of the best pop albums I've come across in quite some time.
Howver, just prior to the closer, we have a couple of the best pop rock songs I've heard in absolute ages, "Bus 61", which, no holds barred is just an absolute ball tearer of a song, while "Something To Die For" is stunning. The melodies & grooves in this song alone make the wole thing worthwhile. The added bonus of the rest of the album is just that, a bonus. Just in case you hadn't guess by this point, I really, really like this album & have no doubt it will be a favourite for a very long time. So, switch off your computer right now & go out & buy it - don't even bother testing, you'll just like it.
Staireo is out now through Embryo / MGM. hEARd rating 10/10