Radlands by Mystery Jets is, in my opinion, one of the best albums that any British indie rock band released in the last couple of years. Curve of the Earth, their latest effort, is a step up towards maturity but it is also a huge step back when we are looking at it from the hit singles perspective. There are no smashes here. Everything is subordinated to the wholeness of the project.
Sure, Curve of the Earth logically succeeds Radlands because Mystery Jets are utilizing the same tricks. It’s only that the songs are even more slow down so we got nine stadium ballades that own their essence to the dreamy space rock. Meaning, this is the most progressive album of their career. Psychedelic bands from Pink Floyd to Tame Impala are obvious influences that open many doors that haven’t been open before. There is a risk of some fans walking out of that door but hey – that’s the price every artist needs to pay.
What’s good on the album is the feeling of unity. There are some personal lyrics on one side and some populist ones on the other side, but the sound texture is consistent. Opening Telomere is a connection between what they did on their previous two albums. I had an impression of electronic spread out over elements of classic ballade with the chorus that is bigger than life. Coldplay might have tried to sound like this on their last album and failed.
Bombay Blue is an experimental example of why I think this record is not a step forward. It is a typical Mystery Jets number. They did not even try to explore some new motives or ideas, they just let it be favorable. Tendency to be likeable is the biggest barrier of the album in comparison to Radlands. Similar problem occurs in Bubblegum. The chorus is screaming for bombastic eruption that we just don’t get. Still, melodic lines are perfection and that is why Mystery Jets are one of the most mature bands from The Island.
Midnight’s Mirror is the darkest track and everyone who likes The National, The XX, The Editors will definitely appreciate it. 1985 is another dark one, while Blood Red Balloon and Saturnine bring lethargy and psychedelic to the table. Closing track The End Up sounds like something The Verve, Blur or Ocean Color Scene would record in the 90s.
Taken By The Tide showcases how far can Mystery Jets go. The chorus is just marvelous. Too bad not all of the songs sound like this one. To conclude – If there was no Radlands, this would sound like the peak of their career.
