Chromatics – These Streets Will Never Look the Same
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The abridged version: Chromatics were a raw, lo-fi, scrabbly post-punk band until they decided to shift gears, shuffle a few members, and go seriously nu-disco. And they did it impeccably, issuing a few promissory singles leading up to 2007′s Night Drive on Italians Do It Better. It was a fitting place to land; labelmates Glass Candy had followed a similar route. But I always felt the transformation wasn’t complete—a good portion of what made the album impressive was the tone change itself, and the actual tunes were minimal almost to the point of slightness, including a too-careful cover of Running Up That Hill.
Today, they’ve completed their U-turn. Kill for Love is a huge album: long and drifting, canny and detailed, confident and questing. Almost as impressive is the fact that they managed to keep a wrap on it until it was officially released. Listen to the filtered vocal effects on “These Streets Will Never Look the Same” and then buy the album, sink into your seat, and see them when they come on tour. Everything’s gone faded neon.
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Chromatics – These Streets Will Never Look the Same [download] [buy from Italians Do It Better]
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