Sound Team - Movie Monster

by Anthony Strutt

published: 23 / 9 / 2006

Label: Select Label
Format: CD

intro

Versatile,radio friendly art pop on debut album from much acclaimed new Austin, Texas group the Sound Team

Sound Team are a six piece that hail from Austin, Texas. Most of this album was recorded in a 7 inch vinyl pressing plant there. It opens with the 73 second track ‘Get Out’ which sounds like a big 80’s pop number with its big drums and a hint of 60’s psychedelia in its vocals from singer Matt Oliver. ‘Born to Please’ recalls Franz Ferdinand with its brittle sound, while Oliver’s vocals are more in the vein of the Killers. It is very radio friendly. Songs like this deserve to be massive. ‘No More Birthdays’ has a 70’s new wave feel to it, while the title song is a prog rock track and sounds like a mid 70’s Pink Floyd number. ‘TV Torso’ is somewhere between New Order, latter-era the Clash and the Gang of Four and is absolutely wonderful. ‘Your Eyes Are Liars’ is a big pop number with a hint of Gothic rock, but it is all dressed with a pop style for the now gone ‘Top of the Pops’. ‘Afterglow Years’ sounds like a preachy U2, while ‘Shattered Glass’ sounds like Lennon-influenced Britpop. It is okay, but a little repetitive. ‘You've Never Lived A Day’ is again Gilmour-flavoured Pink Floyd. It ends with ‘Handful of Billions’, which is loud and again very radio friendly. A good album for the new punters out there.

Track Listing:-

1 Get Out
2 Born To Please
3 No More Birthdays
4 "Movie Monster"
5 TV Torso
6 Back In Town
7 Your Eyes Are Liars
8 Afterglow Years
9 Shattered Glass
10 You've Never Lived A Day
11 Handful Of Billions

live reviews

Koko, London, 27/9/2006

At the London KOKO, while waiting for delayed headliners the Walkmen, Daniel Cressey finds support band the Sound Team's syth-driven unashamed pop the silver lining in the cloud