The Hampdens: The Last Party
Editorial
Release date: 16 May 2008 (Warner)
The Hampdens are dressed by ... (whoever)
The Hampdens live in ... (whatever design houses)
The Hampdens drink ... well, actually, they'll have what you're having.
What a fantastic endorsement list. They'll have what we're having! Great, I feel human again. Anyway, The Last Party is a great album that is reminiscent of pre-Beautiful Garbage Garbage. Electronically influenced, rocked-out pop? Genres are so bizarre these days, why not that? They call themselves alternative and ambient, and that is a perfectly apt description, really. It's not always ambient, though, as the album moves from wild electronica through chilled-out pop-rock, to nearly-straight rock and back again to near-acoustic pop. Very interesting.
It's probably unfair to say it moves from wild electronica, implying that the first track The Belljar is electronic; it's not at all. It's actually acoustic-pop, Hampdens style! It does move to rock, though, with the first single Generation Y. Listen closely to the lyrics of this upbeat little number and you'll be in for a pleasant (or not so pleasant, if you swing that way) bit of cynicism. However, for those who enjoy the subtle ambiance of groups like Massive Attack, you'll find plenty of enjoyment with some of the less rocking tracks, The Hype (though this probably shares more with early Garbage than Massive Attack) and Lucky Man.
The Last Party is an album of variety and excellence that needs to be brought to the attention of thousands of people. Let's all buy The Hampdens a drink - but let's do it in style. "I'll have what they're having!" because whatever they're having has got to be good.
1. The Belljar (Summer in the Hamptons)
2. Generation Y
3. Hands in the Ground
4. Asleep on the Lawn
5. The Hype
6. Forget to Begin
7. Croupier
8. The Last Party
9. Far Away
10. Social Suicide
11. Burnt Out Sundays
12. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
13. Miami
14. Lucky Man
The Hampdens are dressed by ... (whoever)
The Hampdens live in ... (whatever design houses)
The Hampdens drink ... well, actually, they'll have what you're having.
What a fantastic endorsement list. They'll have what we're having! Great, I feel human again. Anyway, The Last Party is a great album that is reminiscent of pre-Beautiful Garbage Garbage. Electronically influenced, rocked-out pop? Genres are so bizarre these days, why not that? They call themselves alternative and ambient, and that is a perfectly apt description, really. It's not always ambient, though, as the album moves from wild electronica through chilled-out pop-rock, to nearly-straight rock and back again to near-acoustic pop. Very interesting.
It's probably unfair to say it moves from wild electronica, implying that the first track The Belljar is electronic; it's not at all. It's actually acoustic-pop, Hampdens style! It does move to rock, though, with the first single Generation Y. Listen closely to the lyrics of this upbeat little number and you'll be in for a pleasant (or not so pleasant, if you swing that way) bit of cynicism. However, for those who enjoy the subtle ambiance of groups like Massive Attack, you'll find plenty of enjoyment with some of the less rocking tracks, The Hype (though this probably shares more with early Garbage than Massive Attack) and Lucky Man.
The Last Party is an album of variety and excellence that needs to be brought to the attention of thousands of people. Let's all buy The Hampdens a drink - but let's do it in style. "I'll have what they're having!" because whatever they're having has got to be good.
1. The Belljar (Summer in the Hamptons)
2. Generation Y
3. Hands in the Ground
4. Asleep on the Lawn
5. The Hype
6. Forget to Begin
7. Croupier
8. The Last Party
9. Far Away
10. Social Suicide
11. Burnt Out Sundays
12. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
13. Miami
14. Lucky Man
Vincent Giles, June 2008
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