My first experience of Broken Records was when they supported Idlewild at the Queens Hall in Edinburgh on 3rd November 2007. It was clear even then that there was something special about them, as I did something at that gig that I haven't done since - I went straight to the merchandise stall and bought their EP. Since then, Broken Records have signed a deal with 4AD records, released their debut album 'Until the Earth Begins to Part, and now have a great following. And so, 'Let Me Come Home' was born in late 2010.
The drums in the opening track 'A Leaving Song' are quite different to what any Broken records fan will have expected from this album, but it is a sign of their growing maturity. A leaving song looks to capture the emotion of a man needing to head to pastures new from a relationship which has ended, or is in the process of ending - 'All the ghosts in this town/are dragging us down/and I want to feel alive.' This is without a doubt one of Broken Records' strongest efforts to date - a song that may be held in such high esteem as Slow Parade.
'Modern Worksong' continues in the vein of the new sound which Broken Records have found, mixed with the instantly recognisable tones of Jamie Sutherland, with a purposeful sound. This is in great contrast to the next track - the positively haunting 'Dia dos Namarados!', a slow number, where Jamie duets with Sparrow and the Workshop's Jill O'Sullivan in a song which changes the tone of the album, and is truly magnificent. It provides the perfect mix between simplicity and depth.
'The Motorcycle Boy Reigns' is dominated by a simple electric guitar melody and Sutherland's falsetto in the verse with a classic Broken Records anthemic chorus. This is then followed by 'A Darkness Rises Up' which, when it was released as a single, I listened to on repeat for far too long. It's a fast paced track, which is exactly what Broken Records are brilliant at - there are few things which compare to a 7 piece band giving it everything.
'Ailene' falls into one of the Broken Records tracks which doesn't necessarily stand out compared to their upbeat efforts, but is, instead, guided by the ryhthm and the complete sound of piano, bass, drums, guitar, cello all overlapping to create this great musical synthesis which evades the charts these days in favour of a computer doing much of the work of the artist. 'I Used to Dream' is a gentle, mournful track, speaking of 'a sack of empty promises' and 'selfish thoughts' which 'leave a a little room for someone else'.
'You Know You're Not Dead' is a fantastic track, which was released as a single in January. It is another quick tempoed tune which, as I have said, shows Broken Records doing exactly what they do best. This is not to say that the relentless pace is at the expense of evoking an emotion, as this is still, somehow, very much present throughout.
'The Cracks in the Wall' finds a simple beat allow the band the opportunity, not to show off, but to demonstrate the incredible sense of togetherness and unity that one feels when listening to Broken records - this record is not so much a collection of rock or pop songs - it is a symphony - such is the sense of harmony that may be felt from every second of every track.
The title track, 'Let Me Come Home' closes the album with a futher gentle number, which adopts a tone in the opposite to that which was found in A Leaving Song - 'I don't know why I left/ so please let me come home.' This completes the journey from the man who wanted to leave home at the start of the album, to one who seeks to return, having realised his mistakes. This track represents a solemn and fundamentally beautiful end to a fantastic album. 'Let Me Come Home' provides warmth and beauty and power in quantities which few other bands are capable. To add to being such an accomplished recording band, that Broken Records are one of the best bands I have had the pleasure of seeing live adds to my bewilderment that they haven't achieved the recognition they deserve.
9.0/10
Buy Let Me Come Home at Amazon here: Let Me Come Home
Buy Let Me Come Home at Amazon mp3 here: Let Me Come Home
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