Released on Vibrant Records
El Rey sees the welcome return of our beloved Wedding Present, eager and refreshed from their brief break after 2004's Take Fountain LP. The last record saw them retain their usual style and sophistication without losing any of the growling angst they had when they first burst on to the scene more than 20 years ago. El Rey continues along a similar path, albeit one with Steve Albini at the helm, collaborating with the band for the first time since 1991's renowned Seamonsters. But the band have come a long way since 1991; band members have changed, Dave Gedge has split up with a girlfriend and found a new one, Cinerama were born and then finally laid to rest and, perhaps most significantly, they have moved to America.
Sometimes when musicians move to America it can signal the beginning of the end; adonyne sounds, big-budget over style and more besides. Not so Mr Gedge. He is the man for whom the words were "gritty" and "Northern" were invented and, if anything, America seems to have made him even more so, despite the scattered references to Seinfeld, Santa Monica and Hollywood throughout the record. He is clearly still hung up on girlfriend troubles - but from the energetic way he snarls his way through the album, you wouldn't guess he is pushing (whisper it) 50. They haven't quite re-captured the frantic guitar sound of their early days but then we wouldn't them to. They're older and wiser, and so are we. Having said that, it's not going to stop us frugging down the front for their headline set at Indietracks - see you there! Here's hoping for some Cinerama covers...
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