Album Review – Little Comets

Review — By Andrew Evans on 29/01/11

 

Little Comets – In Search of Elusive Little Comets

Almost a year ago to the day, Little Comets headlined an HMV-sponsored show titled ‘Next Big Thing’ at Soho’s cosy Borderline. That such a time has been allowed to pass before the Newcastle quartet release their debut album is in no small part due to their split from their major label partners, Columbia Records.

Having spent months trying to wrestle their own album from the hands of their former paymasters, you can’t help but feel that Little Comets’ momentum has taken a knock. It is perhaps not surprising then that In Search Of…, an album of self-styled ‘kitchin-sink indie’ feels like a record that has come a little too late – the musical equivalent of arriving at a party when most people have already left, and the ones that have stayed are either asleep, or passed-out.

In Search Of… isn’t a bad album, but it is one that would have made more sense if released back when groups such as Kaiser Chiefs, The Wombats and The Pigeon Detectives were still relevant bands. There are some decent tunes present – the opening quintet are a joy – however too many of these 11 songs, and most notably the album’s entire second half, could happily sit on top of the indie landfill that is still swollen from the latest releases of those aforementioned groups and their ilk.

Indeed, their best work comes when they ditch their desire to soundtrack the indie-disco and strip things back. Her Black Eyes is a harrowingly beautiful four-minutes that deals with a delicate subject matter. It is followed by their state-of-the-nation address Isles – ‘the streets are bleak, the kids are running wild’ sings frontman Robert Coles.

You feel for Little Comets, as you can’t help but think they’ve missed the boat.