The Envy Corps / Dwell Album review

I’ve been aware of The Envy Corps for a while, and was excited to be going to see them last August, only for Brandon to suffer a stroke. However, since then they’ve recovered and are about to release their debut UK album, Dwell. Sounding like a slower, poppier Kings of Leon, or a more mainstream Pablo-Honey era Radiohead mixed with Idlewild, Coldplay and Band of Horses, they’re instantly accessible, yet still different enough to not sound like a rip-off.

Opening with “Wires and Wool”, the Iowa foursome start off with a rocky, obvious single that is immediately catchy, full of brooding anger, just waiting to boil over into a full blown fight. Closely followed up with “Sylvia (The Beekeeper)”, they show off their literary references, commenting “Sylvia Plath / Soaked in the bathtub whilst I was pushing drugs with my Dad”, getting all philosophical about suicide and other such fun subjects.

“99,100″ is one of my personal stand-out tracks - a proper stomper, you can just imagine it as the backing music in a new Quentin Tarantino movie over one of the vicious fight scenes, building up and then going quiet, with lead singer Luke Petipoole’s fragile voice building its strength as the song reaches its crescendo.

“Story Problem” is a joyful march that should have the festivals clapping in time, chanting and waving their hands in unison. If it doesn’t, something’s wrong with them. Asked about the background to the song, Luke Petipoole reportedly told a reporter: “No comment,” he says, “but I will tell you this: it was a one-off, and for one night only. I am not generally a deviant.” Ooh er! The brilliant, Takeshi’s Castle style video is available on youtube from here, and looks like they had fun doing it.

Whilst nothing new or particularly innovative, they’re one of the few bands that can put out an album which is consistently good - some obvious strong singles, some quality album tracks that just reward extended listening. You can tell that they’ve worked hard, and deserve success. Watch this band, as they very well could do an Arcade-Fire explosion in popularity on us this year.

Dwell is due out on April 28th.