Workhouse - Flyover

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 18 / 7 / 2006

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‘ Flyover’ is the delayed second album from the Workhouse ,the Oxford and London based largely instrumental post rock group. It was originally due out in February of this this year but put on temporary hold when their American record company, Devil in the Woods, went bust. Sadly every thing on that label has been deleted as a result. This album sees the band move on from their 2003 debut, ‘The End of the Pier’, but it is still very much, an album to cherish with even NME giving it 7 out of 10, which is praise indeed. It opens with ‘Chancers’, which is jangly and haunting, a strong soundscape from the start, which blends keyboards and guitar together well to great effect. ‘Chancers’ lets the tiredness of the day just float by. ‘Shake Hands’ starts sounding something like Ride but with cleverer bass lines, and some weird sound effects going on. It builds to sound like a 21st century Slowdive. ‘Coathanger’ is chunky in sound with big bass, drums, and guitars that cut through the air. The latter part of the track sounds like ‘Disintegration’-era Cure. ‘Boxing Day’ is haunting and very loud. It is also somewhat grungy, with bass playing from Chris Taylor that sounds like a lead instrument. Later on, Chris’ soul searching vocal joins the track, blending well with the band’s instrumentation. ‘Big Sam’ has perky and loud guitars. It is trippy in its sound,. The guitars are similar to those of the Chameleons in that they assist each other, without one being more dominant than the other. ‘Sellafield’, has a spaghetti western feel, and sounds like a combination of both the Chameleons and the Cure. ‘Coma’is both light and dark in shade and, having a Raveonettes twang, sees Chris on vocals again. ‘Twinkling Lights’ is like a haunting version of the Cure at the time of their ‘Wish’ album. ‘Last of the Big Songs’ starts off sounding as black as the darkest night, with elegant guitar playing, before it gets more extreme in a Mogwai style fashion. ‘Flyover’, the title track, sounds like the Kitchens of Distinction jamming with the Chameleons, and, another vocal number, ends in a big dramatic fashion. ‘Look Up at the Stars’ is jangly and warm, with big guitars, a perfect end track. It is bit like being at a Cure gig. You just wish this would last forever, this moment in time but you know it won’t and it will soon be the end of the night. It is melodic, beautiful and absolutely and heartwarming ‘Flyover’ is near perfect to my ears guys. A true album to cherish.

Track Listing:-

1 Chancers
2 Shake Hands
3 Coathanger
4 Boxing Day
5 Big Sam
6 Sellafield
7 Coma
8 Twinkling Lights
9 Last Of The Big Songs
10 Flyover
11 Look Up At The Stars

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-workhouse-music/204851926241225

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