Album Review: Autoheart – Punch
Punch
Released 15th July 2013
With an album title such as Punch you could be forgiven for expecting something uplifting and well, punchy and well Autoheart certainly deliver on that within the first track Anniversary. It is the epitome of catchy and punchy all rolled in to one, the staccato is what really makes it that way and also a little edgy. It’s a good solid album opener without a doubt. This isn’t the only track that takes the staccato and Autoheart repeatedly hits us with it. It is used not just musically but with the vocals and as a singing style it boarders on annoying and depending on my mood I can go with it or I can leave it -especially the track Lent, which to me is just too much, most of the time.
This isn’t going to be an all doom and gloom review though as I do like some of the songs on Punched. Tracks such as the opener Anniversary but also Moscow. Here the singing style brings together a nice mix of slow, mid tempo and the superfast. There are some weird lyrics here though “let’s get a dog, an Irish red setter, it’s all we need to get better”. Shame really because it almost detracts from the good lyrics and the overall feel of the song by making it a little cheesy. Despite the small lyric faux pa I really do like and it has radio a-list written all over it.
Lets start from the beginning though and talk about the first song I ever heard by Autoheat . It was Agoraphobia; a beautiful but equally depressing song about, well, the title says it all. I couldn’t decide even then what I thought about the vocals, they are without doubt strong and unique. I decided after several listens that I loved them at the high notes with the harmony but that I wasn’t sure overall. I do love the gymnastics of the trills that wouldn’t usually be found done by this kind of band it certainly adds interest. The video is kind of off beat too, I think everything is pointing to a band who really are taking it all in their stride and doing it how they want it certainly adds to the appeal.
Santa Fe is more of a mellow track picks up a little pace just at the right time. This could easily be my favourite on the album. While the bass runs away through this the drums, piano and vocal keep it anchored. There’s not one thing I can complain about on this track. I think it shows just what this band are capable of in terms of putting together a strong and non cheesy. The guitar that swirls at the break is a lovely and refreshing sound to hear and just at the right time. 10/10 for this one.
There’s no doubt that Autoheart have complied a decent album and are genuinely good musicians but I just don’t feel overly excited nor inspired with this album as a whole. There are tracks that I could easily put on a compilation and others I could just as easily never hear again. For me this one has to be more of a watered down fruit punch than a powerful hit.
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