Hope Is Important - Idlewild

"Hope is important" is the second album release from Edinburgh four piece band Idlewild. You may not be familiar with them but in my opinion they are the best thing to come out of Scotland since...Sean Connery! Idlewild are Roddy Woomble (vocals), Rod Jones (guitar), Bob Fairfoull (bass) and Colin Newton (drums). Their first release was a six-track mini album called Captain, which verged on the metal side of rock. "Hope is important" on the other hand leans over to the indie side of things and makes Idlewild a more accessible band in general. However the great thing about this album is its great variety and individuality. Its clear that the ...  Read the complete review

If you were to go by the early soundings on 'Hope Is Important' you could be confused into thinking that a diet of hard rock awaits. That's because 'You've Lost Your Way' is thrash metal with incoherent screeching vocals producing an aural meltdown. No wonder Idlewild regularly retreat to offshore islands to conduct their gigs. This sort of noise would not be permissible in urban areas where everything is within shouting distance. As 'Hope Is Important' progresses, however, the foot is lifted off the pedal a touch and the album proper kicks in. 'A Film For The Future' has a clued in knowledge of melody and while it uses a ...  Read the complete review

If you thought punk was dead, no, if you thought that the Americans had taken over the patents on how to be a true punk rocker, then think again. Scotland's Idlewild are here to take back the crown! The band's debut album (not including their mini-album 'Captain') is a pure sonic blast of catchy and punky riffs, snarling vocals; and some mellowness to momentarily stop the headrush. Unlike, nouveau REM-esque Idlewild, on this album, the band were most closest to Nirvana - but let me stamp out that they're not cloners like Bush! The album starts with 'You've Lost Your Way', which is just over a minute and half's worth of ...  Read the complete review

Although it hasn't lost the raw feel of it's predecessor, the mini album 'Captain', the punky feel of 'Hope Is Important' is filled with melodies. Songs like the outstanding singles 'When I Argue I See Shapes' and 'Everyone Says You're So Fragile' have catchy, sing-a-long choruses which you can see the crowd at festivals going absolutely wild for. In my opinion the album is not quite as good as the follow up '100 Broken Windows' which sees the punk rock style completely ditched on a few songs. The album is outstanding to say that it is the first full length album from Idlewild. The sound is a cross between ...  Read the complete review

I recently picked up a copy of Idlewild's 'When I argue I see Shapes' in a bargain bin. Yes in a bargain bin. Although to be fair it would have been more apt if this particular record store was called 'Boybands R Us'. In any case, at £1.99,it was a bargain. When I argue I see shapes is not easily put into a specific style of music. It can only described as a mix of melodic pop and punk rock at its best. Roddy Woombles vocal talents are unique and the chorus urges you to sing along. One realises that there is more to Idlewild with a quick listen to the b-sides 'Palace Flophouse' and 'Chandelier'. The former ...  Read the complete review