Dovecote
2005
The Freezing Atlantic
About This Album
Every generation throws out a band that will define the best of its time. The '80s may have belonged to Duran Duran, but it was U2, the new wavers turned superstars, whose dramatic dynamics and chiming guitar solos are today most admired and emulated. Aberdeen City kick off their debut album with "Another Seven Years," a magnificent tribute and homage to U2's early years that spectacularly captures the then-young band's exhilaration, power, and majesty. The superb production comes courtesy of Steve Lillywhite, who himself oversaw U2's first two albums. And it's no surprise that "God Is Going to Get Sick of Me" sounds just as stunning; Lillywhite produced that, too. That latter stellar number is much more representative of City's own sound, which -- while echoing the past -- is not so beholden to it. Unlike Lillywhite, Nic Hard, who produced the rest of the set, deliberately creates a tougher aura, often (and rather unusually for a rock band) pulling the bass and/or drums to the fore, giving the group more punch and a heavier sound. This perfectly suits the band, especially on songs like "In Combat," in reality a lovely, lilting song, given backbone by the rhythm section; "Stay Still," where Hard plays up the dark, post-punk edge of the song; and "Best Chances Are Gone," where he emphasize both the song's dynamics and swirling atmospheres.
Track List (try tracks 2,3,5 and 10)

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