Irene
Long gone since last summer
Labrador
A year after their first long-player "Apple Bay", Irene have delivered their second, disappointingly slower album "Long gone since last summer". Having enjoyed the songwriting and tempo of their first album, as well as this album's lead single "By your side", I was a bit shocked to see the tempo grind to a halt. Most of the songs are slower, and frankly, for their sound, I don't find it to be the most successful method of the band organizing their ideas. They tend to resemble Motown ballads as opposed to the swinging pop that brought "Apple Bay" to life. I think it's because "Long gone since last summer" has such an autumn feel too, but when compared to the bleak sounds of others, Irene just seems a tad overwrought.
- Matt Giordano
