Obrigado - The Same Thing that Makes You Live
by Kelly Smith
published: 6 / 12 / 2008

Label:
Diffusion Records
Format: CDS
intro
Passable, but thoroughly predictable low-key indie pop from Lake District-based six piece, Obrigado
The press release tells me “we all know what these songs sound like”. Well, job done then, this is going to end up being a seriously easy review. To be on the safe side though, I decided to listen to it just in case I didn’t know what it sounded like. Apparently, these songs sound like “recreational drug abuse” “beer and pizza” and “wasted days”. They don’t sound anything like any of these things, not least of all because I’m not sure what pizza sounds like. After what I’d class as a more than moderate build up I was left completely cold by a song which is supposed to be the “embodiment of contemporary British music”. 'The Same Thing That Makes You Live' is a rainy day, and it doesn’t make me feel like getting out of bed. They kind of sound like the Feeling would if you told them Santa wasn’t real and they were adopted... It’s passable pop music, but it’s just not emotive. It’s not just vocalist Ryan Shaw’s faul. The tune is just the shade above melancholy. It’s nothing I haven’t heard before, in much better variations. This kind of low key almost indie shouldn’t be able to get away with just being. They should have to work harder to grab someone’s attention and compel people to listen. It’s not going to get anyone excited or riled up, with its monotonous drone about something killing me, and it’s slow pace isn’t setting my world on fire. In all fairness, I don’t think I’d have said so many derisory things about this if Obrigado hadn’t been built up to be the music I’d been waiting for. I don’t hate it, of course, but I wouldn’t choose it, and I don’t think I’d listen to it again.
Track Listing:-
1 The Same Thing that Makes You Live2 The Mental Institute
most viewed articles
current edition
Spear Of Destiny - InterviewRobert Forster - Interview
Fiona Hutchings - Interview
When Rivers Meet - Waterfront, Norwich, 29/5/2025
Carl Ewens - David Bowie 1964 to 1982 On Track: Every Album, Every Song
Brian Wilson - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Pistol Daisys - Waterfront, Norwich, 29/5/2025
Nils Petter Molvaer - El Molino, Barcelona, 24/4/2025
Credits - ARC, Liverpool, 17/5.2025
Gary Numan - Berserker
most viewed reviews
current edition
Peter Doolan - I Am a Tree Rooted to the Spot and a Snake Moves Around Me,in a CircleGarbage - Let All That We Imagine Be The Light
John McKay - Sixes and #Sevens
Suzanne Vega - Flying With Angels
Little Simz - Lotus
Vinny Peculiar - Things Too Long Left Unsaid
Billy Nomates - Metalhorse
Eddie Chacon - Lay Low
Only Child - Holy Ghosts
Vultures - Liz Kershaw Session 16.06.88
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart