22-01-2011

The (Beef) Wellingtons

Has everybody heard about power pop? It's like pop but more powerful. Also better. You might think of bands like Weezer, the Paul Collins' Beat and the Romantics.
From now on, you will also think of bands like The Wellingtons.

In times of massive online downloading and file-sharing it feels weird to say I have only found The Wellingtons third album. I will probably buy this and their other albums some time. I will probably buy all albums I like some time. But there are still tons of bands who haven't seen my money. It's a shame, isn't it.
So, now I got that out of the way and everyone now knows I have downloaded The Wellingtons' album Heading North For The Winter illegally, we can move on to the interesting part of music-related blogs: the music.

UPDATE: As of today (23/01/2011) I have actually ordered their records. That's one less band on the 'list of bands who need my money'.
You should follow my example.

Label: Dust Devil Records
Year: 2008

1. Song For Kim
2. Come Undone
3. I Get My Heart Broken Everyday
4. Freak Out
5. Popped Balloon
6. Natalie
7. For Friends In Faraway Places
8. Waiting For My Time To Come
9. I Wanna Go Back
10. On And Off


The title "Heading North For The Winter" sounds like a bad black metal album or a mediocre new-wave album. Who would have guessed it actually is a great powerpop album? A first glance on the artwork does in fact tell you a lot about the general feel of the album. Colourful and cute. Not summer-esque but not yet winter-y. Just birds saying "hi!", listening some rock'n'roll music, taking photographs, … It makes you feel good about the world.
The music does this as well. We are introduced by a music-box-melody, which quickly turns into a upbeat, un-unenjoyable anthem for Kim, most probably Kim Shattuck of The Muffs. Immediatly the urge to dance and party arises within me, I feel a desire, nay!, a need to sing along. It has this typical hand-clap rhythm: o-xx-o-x. You must dance. You can't stop it. At least, until the song ends, when it turns into a lengthy melody… But, fortunately, everybody can be happy again and give high-fives to kittens and love life as it is and dance around like un vrai fou when Come Undone kicks in. Probably the album's leading single, together with Song For Kim, which both have semi-professional music videos. You can see in the videos that their bass player is quite hot, as well as the keyboard player. This undeniably gives bonus points to any band.
Come Undone has a more prominent synth sound, especially in the intro, but it carries the song well. Great song, ultra-catchy. The 3rd song is definitely my favourite, because of the 'pa pa paaa' and the incredible recognition (I [too] Get My Heart broken Everyday) in the lyrics, and foremost because the 'bridge'-part, where the dual vocals come in. I love dual vocals. With a tight, fitting solo, a re-chorus, a generic ending and a non-generic synth solo they finish. Freak Out also has a music video, but this one isn't even semi-professional anymore. But such things exactly feed my appreciation for this band. They work hard and put out great music, and they keep this DIY edge. Totally cool. The song apparently features aforementioned Kim of The Muffs, and it might be a reference to the Muffs' song Freak Out.
The album continues with pulsating pop songs, feelgood powerpop ballads, full of great guitar riffs, awesome rhythms, uplifting keyboard melodies and even some horns in Natalie and One And Off. The catchyness stays, the dancefulness shrinks down a little and the melancholy takes over in the middle of the album. It is a quite short album as well, but that gives it a kind of punkrock feel, and it makes sure it doesn't bore you with filler. Every song is independently good, this is a real deviation from all the same songs I am used to listen. I don't have a good ear, but I have certainly heard more than 3 chords in here.
In the end the catchy-rate goes up again with Waiting For My Time To Come, which starts out as a rock'n'roll jam, but has the most irresistible chorus. On And Off has a poppunk feel to it. It's rather fast-paced, has a steady beat, a little guitar solo and the vocals are more centred and calm. It ends rather magically.
Everyone is now high on love, lost in the realm of power pop music, and wishing they could sleep on rainbows and play tag with unicorn.

Also, bird says 'hi.'

http://www.myspace.com/thewellingtonsmusic

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