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- Summary: The Dublin-based quartet debuts with a record filled with echoes of California circa the 1960s and 70s (think Brian Wilson) rather than Ireland.
- Record Label: Rough Trade
- Genre(s): Indie, Rock
- More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
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Positive: 10 out of 16
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Mixed: 6 out of 16
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Negative: 0 out of 16
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MojoThe melodies are so lush and the arrangements so stylish that you can't deny them. [Jun 2005, p.105]
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There's not much drama or keeping-it-realness in Hal's golden, Beach Boys-influenced world, but who can't use a dollop of guilty pleasure?
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Echoes of the Beatles, Harry Nilsson, the Beach Boys, and Phil Spector are everywhere, and while those aren't exactly unique or even very interesting reference points in 2005, Hal again go beyond imitation and use their influences as a good band should, as guides and not blueprints.
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New Musical Express (NME)The results are undeniably lush, yet slightly lacking in soul. [16 Apr 2005, p.50]
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You'll either find it cloying and saccharine or heartfelt and precise, or maybe a little bit of both.
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Under The RadarLushly produced bubblegum made less palatable by elementary lyrics. [#10, p.111]
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The record's glossy sheen and sharp nostalgia give it a calculated, lab-constructed feel.
Score distribution:
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Positive: 4 out of 4
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Mixed: 0 out of 4
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Negative: 0 out of 4
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mrsoulAug 8, 2005
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IanOMay 11, 2005
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PhilMMay 24, 2005A gem of an album that reveals more hidden depth with each listen
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AllistairMay 11, 2005
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