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The Remote Part

Idlewild - The Remote Part Audio CD

A fair review of the Idlewild "The Remote Part" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Idlewild reviews here, or go back to the Idlewild tabs.

Band: Idlewild
Title: The Remote Part
Rating:

Release Date: 2002-12-10
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: You Held the World in Your Arms 2: Modern Way of Letting Go 3: American English 4: I Never Wanted 5: (I Am) What I Am Not 6: Live in a Hiding Place 7: Out of Routine 8: Century After Century 9: Tell Me Ten Words 10: Stay the Same 11: In Remote, Pt.1/Scottish Fiction

Still the best band you've never heard of in the States...
Three absolutely brilliant albums put out by this groundbreaking band and Americans still continue to waste their music listening time with forgettable drivel like Avril Levine, Creed and Matchbox Twenty. How this band has managed to remain virtually unknown on this side of the pond continues to baffle me. Even when a Brit band does manage some success on these shores, it turns out to be some shallow pseudo pop like Coldplay or Travis.

Idlewild followed their punk-laden debut "Hope is Everywhere" with the noticeably more polished "100 Broken Windows", arguably one of the best albums from start to finish in decades. Now, the band continues to evolve with a touch more personal sounding album. Their sound is still difficult to describe, and the common R. E. M. comparisons just don't do them justice. They have a touch of nostalgic late 80's/early 90's 4AD or Creation Records kind of feel, but without sounding the least bit dated. Roddy Woomble's voice has an adaptability that sounds equally great on more accessible indiepop sounds (opening track "You Held the World in Your Arms", ), droning moodsetting clips ("Century After Century"), mellow, introspective pieces ("Live in a Hiding Place", "American English"), or the slightly more punk tracks ("Stay the Same", "(I Am) What I Am Not"). This CD runs a compilation of sounds with Idlewild sounding equally adept at each. And, unlike other bands looking to breakout, they actually retain their accent while singing! Good choice. . .

Although I'd place this album just a half step behind the previous album, "100 Broken Windows", that still places it fifty long paces ahead of the vast majority of bands today. If you have any doubts that excellent music is still being produced today, get a hold of this masterpiece and quell those fears.

contracting american dreams
" No wonder their records contain nods to Gertude Stein and Walt Whitman, as well as samples from famed Scottish writer Edwin Morgan. Idlewild's website encourages you to "support your local poet. But, "it's no novel, these are songs," insists singer Roddy Woomble. Although lyrics like, "I didn't hear cheerleading for creative writers," seem to negate most of that statement.

After the band's last record "100 Broken Windows" received rave reviews (including Spin Magazine's Best Band You've Never Heard award, a nod that led partly to their release stateside on Capital) the band's third full-length release "The Remote Part" is once again an import-only gem (at least until 2003) to be found only on major web sites like Amazon, and local record stores that still have the wherewithal to dig for great overseas acts.

But that hasn't stalled much of Idlewild's greatness. Still intact is the Murmur-meets-Nevermind sound that made the band so exciting in the first place.

The album begins with the bombastic crush of distorted guitars complete with string arrangement and full on stereo-phonic glee that is "You Held the World in Your Arms Tonight," followed closely by the equally energetic "A Modern Way of Letting Go. "

But what succeeds mostly on this record are the more offbeat and balladesque numbers (American English, All I Never Wanted, Live in a Hiding Place, Tell Me Ten Words, In Remote Part / Scottish Fiction). "Love songs never being on the agenda. People songs most definitely are," says singer Roddy, whose voice comes off all too often as a young Michael Stipe. His lyrics seems constantly bothered by self doubt, social confusion, romantic mirage, and false intellectualism. But what doesn't shine in life certainly does on the stereo. Lines like, "losing isn't learning to be lost / it's learning to know when you're lost," "I think you're young without youth," "what I want is on it's way out," are years apart from journal-entry approach that covers most of their post-Nirvana peers.

Rod Jone's guitar work ranges from the searing and searching hiss of the opening two tracks, to the more delicate and drone threads apparent on songs like "American English" and "Live in a Hiding Place. " while drummer Colin Newton and departed bassist Bob Fairfoull keep a tight pocket throughout.

The band occasionally meanders into the tired foray of modern pop-punk (the ironically titled, "Out of Routine" and "Stay the Same") but still manages to release another overall triumph, even if it will go mostly unheard this side of the English Channel. But with diverse influences ranging from Beck and Bob Dylan to Kiss and Meatloaf, it certainly isn't much of a surprise that the band aren't regulars on TRL. But then again, when's the last time quality had all that much to do with popularity.

Good
Though it's not quite as good as '100 Broken Windows'. This album is really good. Still, everyone who I know who has both albums say this is better, you'll have to make your own mind up.

Grown as band while retaining punk sound
Starting with 100 Broken Windows and continuing on to Remote Part, Idlewild is one of the new and emerging bands from Scotland who have shown that they have grown as a band and as songwriters while still retaining their punk sound. Idlewild's 2nd and 3rd albums show real growth from their first punk-laden debut album Hope Is Important. The songs on both albums are more tightly polished and scaled back than the Hope Is Important album. The two albums contain a wide range of music from the traditional three-chord ripping punk anthems that first got them noticed to nice quiet acoustic ballads. Standout tracks on 100 Broken Windows are "Little Discourage," "I Don't Have the Map" and "Roseability" and on the Remote Part, "American English," "You Held the World in Your Arms," and "Live in a Hiding Place. " I am really looking forward to hearing what these four young Scots will come up with next.

i am what i am not
I first heard idlewild along time ago, in 1998 around the release of their first album hope is important and have seen them live *very goos show* supporting coldplay, but have just bought the albums recently. Im 15, so my review is from a hardcore from the begining fan. Their stlye of music is not as some would say indy or rock, it is a clash of pure poetry and punk rock guitars, blended with alot of pure talent and a occasional chilled mellow riffs.
Thier songs range from the sheer rock influences in "modern way of letting you go" to the very much indy, very mellow tones of "american english" and "live in a hiding place".
This albuk would suit anyones collection, from a lover of bands like nirvana and the foo fighters to colplay amd travis.

You can see a complete list of all Idlewild discography, or go back to the Idlewild tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.