David & The Citizens
Stop the tape! Stop the tape!
Bad Taste Records
After three years, David & The Citizens have actually delivered a record with exactly what they promised. Most groups talk about how their sound has either expanded or altered, but few times (especially in the past ten or fifteen years) has the resulting material been so accurate in description. I must admit, however, that I was a bit skeptical when they had said they were going to make a more "rocking" album, but then I realised that "Big chill" was an amazing song and that going in that direction would not be a bad thing at all. "Stop the tape! Stop the tape!" sees the production values, especially when dealing with the low-end, bumped up with a bit more confidence and thump. The rhythm section is powerful in its delivery and aids the listeners' head to nod throughout the release (most notably on "A heart & a hand & a love for a band", "Oblivion" and the first single "Are you in my blood?"). The extended mix of "48h" is, to me, flawless in songcraft, and one of the top on the record along with "What if nobody would catch us?". David & the Citizens have delivered what everyone had hoped for: a band realising their potential, acting upon it - and succeeding.
- Matt Giordano
