Well, I’m disappointed, not terribly, but disappointed none-the-less. I got the new Redwalls record today and that made me happy, but then I listened to it and I was let down. I’m not saying it’s bad, most of De Nova is great it’s just not as great as Universal Blues.
The Redwalls still breeze through the by gone days of Brit rock with a stylized ease and they still sound like the hideous love child of a Bob Dylan and the Beatles' sloppy one night stand. So what’s different?
The difference between De Nova and Universal Blues is the polish. Universal Blues was rough and ragged and rocked. De Nova is slick and a tad over produced, the vocals fade into a wall of sound and a new horn section borders on overkill (don’t get me wrong, horn sections kick ass, but only when used properly).
The album is still great though, as fresh and different as anything being made today (with the exception of the White Stripes) and well worth the listen.
Stuff to Sample: From De Nova "Build A Bridge" and "Falling Down"
As fresh and different as anything today, that's true. But fresh and different overall? I think not. I heard the Redwalls' first disc and that was enough.
Save yourself the time and buy Rubber Soul. This music was done fine the first time, I see no need to retread an area that so many bands before this group of chinstraps have covered.
[1] Ha! Ha! . . . Chinstraps!