- See all the Ratings
- Add my Rating now
(BMG)
For quite some time now, Infusion have been the darlings of the live stage in many a venue across the country, as they are usually able to put on a fine show to the delight of the rapturous masses. A modern electronic sound combined with an apparently eighties inspired lyrical style work well for this talented threesome, and considering that the current “harking back” revival shows no signs of abating (except among the attentive fashionistas, dahling) it is unsurprising that Infusion is enjoying such success. Forget the modern mullet and strap on the leather pants, assume a moody-blues expression and get ready to rock on down to a new kind of sound.
Infusion has called on a dizzying array of musical aficionado mates to add depth to their sound, with guitars, cellos, horns, vibraphones, violins, trumpets and even trombones getting an outing throughout. “Better World” is a rocky, electro style track driven by growling guitar riffs and electro bleeps and blurps, followed by the laconic vocals and thrumming rhythm of The Careless Kind. Things get a little darker on track three, Feeding From The Hand, which carries the kind of thrilling and dark overtones usually found in the wee hours and hidden corners of clubland, 3am. The next tune – Girls Can Be Cruel – has been a massive hit around the country, and it ain’t hard to see why. Deep pounding drums amid weird, warbly echoes drive this addictive and delicious little number, which manages to retain a sense of glee amid the darkly driving beats and nervy anticipation it generates.
Love and Imitation, guided by hypnotic vocals, is a little slower, heralding a brief shift into quieter and more experimental territory. Invisible is a little cringing, all retrospective and navel-gazing lyrics over orchestral posturing that doesn’t sit well with the rest of the album, while Best in Show is synth-pop which I found immediately reminiscent of the good ol’ Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark … hope I’m not revealing my age and poor pop inclinations here …
Thankfully, the hectic tempo of Rattlewasp marks a swift return to what the boys are best at – keeping the feet moving and the mind occupied with rhythm. Dream is remarkably similar to a couple of other tracks on the album and We Follow, I Fly is another slow number featuring lovely, drifting sounds that gradually build without any intention of going anywhere. Always there is so-so. Things finish, surprisingly, on a quiet note with Continental Drift, a peaceful number drawing on the lazy harmony of violins and plinky piano.
This is a decent outing, but isn’t quite what I was expecting in terms of musical offerings. It will be interesting whether this album translates to the legions of fans in Australia so they will cross the picket line and purchase the sounds they have been enjoying live many a time. I would have liked to hear more of the rockin’ driving beats Infusion are famed for than introspection, but at the same time applaud their commitment to producing diversity. Worth checking out.
