Chief - Modern Rituals
by Jon Rogers
published: 13 / 10 / 2010
Label:
Domino Records
Format: CD
intro
Dull and monotonous-sounding folk rock on debut album from New York-based band, Chief
US quartet Chief are certainly out of time. ‘Modern Rituals’ is full of simple heartfelt songs of the verse-chorus-verse sort, a few harmonies and all drenched in West Coast sunshine and folk-ish rock as well as utterly bland (so-called) indie bands like Snow Patrol or the Verve. Opener ‘The Minute I Saw It’ stakes out their stall nicely. All hummable, sing-a-long tunes with a folk-rock feel and a big, expansive sound (that ultimately sounds hollow and empty). Almost as if the Verve are doing a bad cover of a Byrds outtake. And it’s pretty much the same all the way through. Chief in effect play it safe and don’t take any chances, making ‘Modern Rituals’ pretty dull and insipid. ‘Nothing’s Wrong’ wouldn’t sound out of place on a Travis or Snow Patrol album – which is worrying. And what’s worse is that all eleven songs sound pretty much the same. There’s no variety or subtlety. Each song is pitched mid-paced, backed by a pretty enough melody (if lacking imagination) and some vaguely wishy-washy lyrics about lost love or trite clichés of going “down to the river”. Unfortunately the only real modern ritual this deserves is pressing the off button.
Track Listing:-
1 The Minute I Saw It2 Nothing's Wrong
3 Wait For You
4 This Land
5 Breaking Walls
6 In The Valley
7 Stealing
8 You Tell Me
9 Summer's Day
10 Irish Song
11 Night And Day
Label Links:-
http://www.dominorecordco.com/https://www.facebook.com/DominoRecordCo
https://twitter.com/DominoRecordCo
https://www.youtube.com/user/DominoRecords
https://plus.google.com/+DominoRecords
most viewed articles
current edition
Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies - Sala Apolo, Barcelona, 29/11/2023 and La Paqui, Madrid, 30/11/2023Anthony Phillips - Interview
Difford and Tilbrook - Difford and Tilbrook
Rain Parade - Interview
Oldfield Youth Club - Interview
Autumn 1904 - Interview
Shaw's Trailer Park - Interview
Cafe No. 9, Sheffield and Grass Roots Venues - Comment
Pete Berwick - ‘Too Wild to Tame’: The story of the Boyzz:
Chris Hludzik - Vinyl Stories
most viewed reviews
current edition
Marika Hackman - Big SighSerious Sam Barrett - A Drop of the Morning Dew
Rod Stewart and Jools Holland - Swing Fever
Ian M Bailey - We Live in Strange Times
Loves - True Love: The Most of The Loves
Paul McCartney and Wings - Band on the Run
Autumn 1904 - Tales of Innocence
Roberta Flack - Lost Takes
Banter - Heroes
Posey Hill - No Clear Place to Fall
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