Idlewild

[Snufkin]

Idlewild are one of my favourite bands. I like a lot of bands, so to label one a favourite is a big deal to me. I love this band with all my heart.

The thing is, not many people know about them. Some claim to have heard of them, or maybe heard one song by them, but they have quite an extensive back catalogue and a range of sounds. I think they're pretty hard to dislike due to Roddy's beautiful vocals and catchy melodies, especially their later work which has been inspired by folk music.

Their early work suffered from not really knowing what direction they wanted to take. It has a raw sound, with Roddy having not yet found his voice, and leans towards punk music. A bit of an angry response to the Britpop scene at the time, and Grunge in the states. Exemplified here in Everyone Says You're So Fragile, the music is chaotic and much heavier than anything that came later. Not an ideal starting point since it doesn't offer the Idlewild sound.

With their second album, 100 Broken Windows, they released something that surprised everyone. A lot more melodic, more polished, but still with that rock influence that was present in their debut, this album is a definite high point in Idlewild's career. It's no wonder they recently toured to celebrate it's 10th anniversary and played the album in its entirety. Little Discourage.

The mainstream took notice with their next album, The Remote Part. It went gold in the UK and they played their biggest shows during this time. A very accessible sound with plenty of successful singles off of it, the album hasn't aged at all and is one of my favourite albums I've ever heard. It contains the rawness of earlier releases in A Modern Way of Letting Go but also hones their acoustic sound into the magnificent Live in a Hiding Place.

Warnings/Promises alienated fans a bit with the much more laid back approach. Most of the heavy songs were dropped, though there are a few there, and it signalled a change in the band that introduced Scottish folk elements. I Understand It.

By the time of Make Another World, Idlewild accepted that they weren't going to be as big as they were during The Remote Part-era. With this mindset, they released an album that sounded fresh and energised, folk and rock, with Rod Jones playing some of his greatest guitar work yet seen in the band. The mainstream sounding No Emotion contrasted strongly with the ballad Once In Your Life (not available on Youtube, damn!).

Their latest album, Post Electric Blues, is a refreshing folk rock record. Excellent guitar work, beautiful melodies, and yet another new sort of sound, it's criminal that this band don't get more attention. Younger Than America.

If you take the time to listen to them, or even read through this whole post, I appreciate it a lot. Music means the world to me so when a band is considered my favourite, they too mean the world to me. Nightwish are up there as well, as are a few others, but Idlewild connect and inspire on a level that no other band touch.

[Peppermint Tea.♥]

I'm one of those people who has only heard one song, but I really like that one song. I've read through your post and maybe when I have the time I'll listen to some more stuff by them.