Wheat - Hope And Adams

  by Chris Jones

published: 17 / 12 / 2001

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Review

I really liked Wheat's debut album when it came out and I listened to it many a time, so I had sort of been waiting to hear more from them. Well, they've hit us with their second full length and it seemed that most of the reviews I read were very positive - even making it into some critics "best of '99" lists. And it is a solid album. loaded with what I can only call "subtle indie rock" - it has the feel of that once glorious sound dubbed "indie rock", but it's a bit restrained and almost mellow or dreamy at times. There are also some odd noises hiding down low in the mix that sound like the type of things 'Dre' or 'Snoop' have used in their tunes. Yet somehow, I had a hard time really finding much to get excited about by this album. For both quality and sound, it's pretty consistent throughout and I'd say it's better than the majority of what I heard in '99, but maybe the album is a bit too consistent. It kept reminding me of 'The Flaming Lips' (another band that i've never really gotten excited about but that I would say is good) and other things i've heard before which ended up limiting the impact this album had on me. Songs like "Don't I hold you", "Who's the one", and "Body Talk (Part 1 and 2)" came close to pushing this album over the edge for me and i wouldn't mind hearing them on the radio, but i'm afraid this album will end up in my "in limbo" section. though maybe that's because "indie rock sort of seems to be in limbo right now to me too.

Track Listing:-

1 This Wheat
2 Slow Fade
3 Don't I Hold You
4 Raised Ranch Revolution
5 San Diego
6 No One Ever Told Me
7 Be Brave
8 Who's The One
9 Off The Pedestal
10 And Someone With Strengths
11 Body Talk (Part 1)
12 Body Talk (Part 2)
13 More Than You'll Ever Know
14 Roll The Road

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