The follow up to what many already consider a classic of the genre is finally here and the good news for fans is that FIREWORKS have kept to their winning formula.
Opener ‘Arrows’ has a melody that will become lodged firmly in your mind, and is exactly the kind of song that could bring them legions of new fans given the right exposure. ‘I Was Born In The Dark‘ kicks into the Fireworks known and loved by those who can overlook the nasal tones of David Mackinder, which it must be said are more prominent on this album than they’ve ever been.
The lead-in single ‘Summer’ and ‘Life Is Killing Me’ are the stand-out tracks by far, the first perfectly evoking memories of…well…summer, and the latter with clever, straight-to-the-point lyrics (“my heart feels young/my body feels old/my mind just feels like it’s trying to please them both”). The album closes just shy of 37 minutes with ‘The Wild Bunch’, which could very well be the new ‘Detroit’ with its perfect sing-a-long feel.
Though the formula is the same, this album seems a step up in maturity for the band and with this they have hit their stride and found themselves their very own, very good niche. The production from Brian McTernan (who probably produced one or more of your top 10 albums) keeps the sound crisp and perfectly balanced – aside from the raw sound on ‘I Am The Challenger‘ – though it is so polished you may find yourself longing for their previous offerings. ‘Gospel’ is more instant than their previous release, and there are bursts of pure perfection on this album that you’ll have stuck in your head all summer.
EMMA BUFF