We love Whitemoor. Their self-titled debut album was one of our highlights of 2011, so we’re pretty happy that they’ve finally released their second long-player, Horizons. It’s got everything we loved about their debut (stadium synths, infectious melodies) and more, and it really shows how much they’ve developed as a band in such as short space of time. So, who wants a track by track rundown?
1) High Lights – High Lights was the first single released from Horizons, and it’s one of the strongest tracks on the album. It’s punchy and powerful, and packed full of indie guitars and infectious keyboard riffs. It sounds like the best bits of Coldplay merged with some of the more melodic moments of the Foo Fighters and we absolutely love it. The chorus is catchy as hell too – it’s instant, leaving you tapping your foot after just a few seconds.
2) Horoscopes – A more guitar-orientated affair than the opening track, Horoscopes is an anthemic beast of a track. Revolving mainly around an acoustic guitar and a pounding drum beat, it’s more overstated than High Lights and yet somehow still oddly raw. We can’t help but feel that the vocals are occasionally slightly drowned out by the bombardment of instrumentation – it would be nice to perhaps hear a more stripped-back acoustic version of this track, as we feel it’s got potential that it hasn’t quite fulfilled yet.
3) On Top of The World – This is without a doubt our favourite track on the album and the one that we feel has the most potential as a single. It’s a rolling thunderstorm of a stadium anthem – chiming guitars (no doubt influenced by U2’s The Edge) and a grooving bassline combine to create the best song Whitemoor have ever written.
4) Embers – Embers is a little bit edgy. It makes you sit up a little straighter and concentrate – the vocals seem to attack you, as lead vocalist Benny pours everything he’s got into the track. It’s a bit rockier than the rest of the album, but the keyboards are still there – they’ve been pushed back to make room for distorted guitars and cracking snares. Yet another album highlight, and for any other band it would be a potential single.
5) The Divine – This one sounds a little bit like Imagine Dragons. Careful strings and the ever-present pounding drums form the basis of a track that’s a little bit too much like rest of the album – it feels like a filler track on an album so packed full of anthems, and we can’t help but feel that a bit of variety would have been nice.
6) My Philosophy – The bass is pushed to the forefront of the mix on My Philosophy, as Whitemoor begin to explore the previously uncharted territory of the melancholy indie anthem. It’s got an air of the Last Shadow Puppets to it, as well as a healthy dose of Snow Patrol – we love it.
7) All I’ve Ever Known – Second single All I’ve Ever Known is vicious and raw whilst still being restrained. It’s angry, yet melodic at the same time. It’s got a rap. What we’re trying to say is that it’s a departure from the norm for Whitemoor, and it sounds absolutely fantastic – it’s definitely one of our album highlights.
8) Run Along – More of the same from Whitemoor, and we’re getting a bit tired of it by now. Run Along seems like indie-rock by numbers – a continual bassline, effect-laden guitars and what sounds like the same drum beat as a couple of the other tracks on this album. We wish they’d mix it up a little.
9) Sirens – Ah, this is better. The acoustic-led Sirens is heartfelt and emotional and genuinely touches the listener – there’s something about the vocals that suggest pain and heartbreak, and it serves to draw in the listener. The sparse guitar in the chorus is perfectly matched to the frantic nature of the drums and soaring keyboards and the production is flawless as ever – we absolutely love it.
10) Don’t Hold Me Down – Don’t Hold Me Down follows the guidelines set by Sirens, in that it’s another heart-on-your-sleeve belter. The chorus is as catchy as it is emotional – it’s the kind of thing you can imagine singing along to at the top of your lungs, which can only be a good thing.
11) This Is….. – This Is…. is a perfect album closer and really sums up the sound of Whitemoor as a band. Opening with majestic strings, the track soon progresses into a funky little stadium filling anthem, packed full of crashing cymbals and soaring guitars. It’s a brilliant way to end a great album – we’re not sure if it’s as good as their debut album, but we’d still be very surprised if we don’t start hearing a lot more from Whitemoor in the very near future.