On the Sheffield duo’s third LP, grand displays are in and the charm of their first two LP’s is slowly on it’s way out.
The charmingly friendly pop styles of Slow Club are what they’ve be known for since their first LP, Yeah So. But on their third LP, Rebecca and Charles have done a bit of growing up, as they’ve ditched the poppy styles and melodies, having instead recaptured the jazz and blues style of the 70’s.
The real change on Complete Surrender comes from the same titled track, which easily drifts away from anything the duo have produced before. Jittering synth tones make their first appearance with the duo, on top of melodies that aren’t usually present on a Slow Club track. Matching vocal and string arrangements as well as traditional post chorus shifts, create the finest pop song the duo have created since their first LP back in 2009.
Slow Club’s traditional pop rhythms can be found though on The Pieces and with the combination of Paradise’s, Two Cousins and Never Look Back, the slow, uplifting burner, Tears Of Joy. Similarly on tracks such as Not Mine To Love and Everything Is New, Rebecca and Charles’ infamously delicate vocal ranges return, soaring above the clouds in a tender battle of emotional heartbreak and raw love, on top of classical string sections and melodic, folk influenced guitar tones that resonate the bands past work.
Complete Surrender is the growth spurt that the duo have been waiting for since 2011’s stunning, Paradise. However, this growth spurt has left some signs of damage, when compared to the earlier beautiful canvas. Not to say that the duo should just be using black to paint the night sky; but putting too much colour in is going to lose the effect the duo are known for. A combination between the duo’s early flare and joyous tones with their new, matured blues style would muster up a tremendous fourth album, so lets hope that happens.
