Reviews

If “Myths of the Near Future” is any prediction of what lies ahead for London foursome Klaxons, the band has a tremendous career ahead of them.

The album, released in January 2007, channels The Clash and the late 70’s London punk scene and raises the stakes with commanding bass lines and synth strings and horns that don’t give up through the stretch of the album.

One of the great triumphs of the album is being able to put forward a cohesive debut without gaps, holes, or filler. From beginning to end, “Myths” is a complete album. There is nothing lacking about the album. The production is superb; whether a gritty, panicked haze is cast or the heavens open up and clear out the smoke, James Ford’s direction as producer enhanced the power and energy of an exploding young band.

The first single released from the album, “Gravity’s Rainbow,” is an exciting vocal romp over speeding drums and guitar. The real hero of the album, however, is dance/club-friendly track “Atlantis to Interzone.” It is on this track that the band, more than any other track, displays the sheer brilliance and excitement they are capable of. The beginning shout of “DJ!” and the sirens that repeat throughout the song (to surprisingly not annoying results) combine with an intimidating, powerful vocal and a Dick Dale-esque guitar riff to produce a track worthy of repeated plays in the car on Saturday night urban adventures and massive radio airtime.

A hidden gem on the album is the panic-driven song “Magick.” Jaime Reynolds’ vocals alternate between frantic chaos and a moment to finally grab a breath and reflect. Following “Magick” is Klaxons’ superb cover of Grace’s “Not Over Yet.” The track, listed as “It’s Not Over Yet,” does great justice to the song while still remaining true to their own style.

It would be unfair to Klaxons to compare them to anyone else. Their style, dubbed “New Rave” by Angular Records’ Joe Daniel, is one unto themselves. They definitely draw on British rave predecessors. At times they seem to have some common bonds with the American group The Killers, but the bonds are not many or constant.

There is nothing negative to say about Klaxons or their magnificent debut. The cliché, “there’s something for everyone,” may not be true, but it’s just a cliché. There are plenty of things to enjoy about “Myths of the Near Future,” and an abundance of reasons for this album to echo through speakers on either side of the Atlantic.