{"id":15052,"date":"2015-10-30T12:45:19","date_gmt":"2015-10-30T12:45:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/?p=15052"},"modified":"2015-10-30T14:18:48","modified_gmt":"2015-10-30T14:18:48","slug":"new-waves-of-hope-for-guitar-music-the-big-sound-of-the-microdance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2015\/10\/new-waves-of-hope-for-guitar-music-the-big-sound-of-the-microdance\/","title":{"rendered":"NEW WAVES OF HOPE FOR GUITAR MUSIC? \u2013 The Big Sound of the Microdance"},"content":{"rendered":"

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For an idea of how seriously you should be taking London four-piece The Microdance just\u00a0take a glance at some of the guest musicians on their debut album.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Nicole Fiorentino (<\/em>Smashing Pumpkins, Veruca Salt)<\/strong> pops up on backing vocals, while ex-Morrissey, Tom Morello <\/strong>and Cyprus Hill <\/strong>sticksman Eric Gardner <\/strong>lends a hand on drumming duties.<\/p>\n

Heavyweight names for a heavyweight album \u2013 with 14 tracks, clocking in at more than an hour of music, this is certainly a band that believes in offering good value for money.<\/p>\n

But does New<\/em><\/strong> Waves<\/em><\/strong> of Hope<\/em><\/strong> deserve that level of commitment?<\/p>\n

Well, it certainly gets off to great start, the hook-laden We Meet In Dreams <\/em><\/strong>crashing in with great slabs of muscular guitar.<\/p>\n

Track Two Mudlark <\/em><\/strong>recalls Wayne Hussey\u2019s The Mission, <\/strong>while The Microdance showcase their versatility with the fun, poppy single Making Plans for the End <\/em><\/strong>(see below).<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

But thereafter the influence of Fiorentino’s Smashing Pumpkins takes perhaps too firm a grip and the album sags a little in the middle.<\/p>\n

Several tracks clock in at over six minutes without any good reason and the pace and momentum is lost.<\/p>\n

Songs like Mr Pierro Blanco<\/em><\/strong> and Smithereens<\/em><\/strong>, buckle under the weight of their own importance and the band sail dangerously close to self-indulgence.<\/p>\n

However chief songwriter Alex Keevil <\/em><\/strong>has a strong grasp of atmospherics and when they get it right, as on the fabulous We Are The Hope Machine<\/em><\/strong>, The Microdance can sound like the saviours of British guitar music.<\/p>\n

This Malaise is Over <\/em><\/strong>is another highlight, it\u2019s elegaic mood providing the perfect close to the album.<\/p>\n

But by far the best of the bunch is The Weight of Holding You Up <\/em><\/strong>a wistful, dreamscape, bathed in acoustic guitar that hints at a big future for Keevil and his compadres.<\/p>\n

This is an accomplished cohesive debut, from a fast-maturing band with a gift for songcraft.<\/p>\n

If they can learn\u00a0to master the tricky knack of self-editing, they might just be The New Waves of Hope we\u2019ve being waiting for.<\/p>\n

The Microdance are Alex Keevill: Guitars, Synth & Vocals, Gavin Mata Hari: Guitars, Cheryl Pinero: Bass & Vocals and Alex Major: DrumsThe Microdance are Alex Keevill: Guitars, Synth & Vocals, Gavin Mata Hari: Guitars, Cheryl Pinero: Bass & Vocals and Alex Major: Drums.<\/strong><\/p>\n

New Waves Of Hope is out now\u00a0through Superlust Recordings. <\/strong><\/p>\n

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