Album Review: BUCKLEY WARD

The second album from Melbourne five-piece Buckley Ward is certainly an ambitious affair that should see them build on the momentum they've gained over the summer through a high-profile tour with Big Scary. Produced to perfection, So Pretend is packed full of crisp, lush instrumentation that's reminiscent of mid-'80s U2. It's also expertly mixed, allowing the various instruments to exist alongside each other without feeling overly cluttered or forced. But while the album certainly sounds polished and impressive, it's not quite the sum of its parts as the whole shebang is let down by some lethargic songwriting along the way. That's not immediately apparent in the first three tracks. Opener Breathing In has a nice little rhythmic dynamic going on as the instruments are gradually layered on top of each other, creating something both laidback and difficult to ignore. Exes And Ohs is a quality trip into Shins-ish indie territory while Into The Darkening Blue sees the keyboards and synths take centre stage in a track that has a real '80s vibe to it. But from here on in, aside from the campfire singalong Not Enough, the tracks start becoming a little similar as the band stick with the tried-and-true mid-tempo formula. This insistence on staying in a mid-tempo comfort zone almost seems representative of the album's reined-in feel. Everything clicks together so well, but at times it's crying out for an instrument to stand out and do something interesting, or for the vocals to get a little ragged and raw.

These guys certainly have talent, there's no doubt about that, but they need to embrace a more adventurous edge in their writing to take that next step.