Official Secrets Act – Understanding Electricity
Any band that seems to be championed by the legendary DJ Steve Lamacq is usually worth a listen and that is what brings me to Understanding Electricity, the debut album by London-based indie rock band Official Secrets Act. The five-piece were formed at Leeds University as a four-piece through a mutual love of military history (as you do) and when Casio keyboard enthusiast Michael Evans caught wind of them, he was recruited as a fifth member. This LP, their debut under One Little Indian, combines angular guitar pop and whirling synths.
You’d be mistaken on that description for mistaking them for Maxïmo Park, but they’re most certainly not. Their music is very quintessential British indie pop. Mainstream opens with a glorious guitar and synth melody and ticks all the boxes with a catchy and memorable refrain and its tight rhythm section. There are many songs like this and, when there have been so many other bands who have the done the same thing (and a few bands that have done it really well), there isn’t anything that is truly outstanding to lift what is essentially angular guitar pop by numbers.
However, there are some odd moments of variation. December marks a nice change of pace with its softer tone and starry-eyed synths, whilst Under The Flightpath is a soft and soothing closer with gorgeous harmonies sweeping throughout. It proves that the band definitely has more tricks up their sleeve and had they capitalised on those more then this would have been a pretty solid debut album. As it is, it’s just another collection of so-so songs with a few highlights every now and then. It’s not that their is anything wrong with this kind of music but when there have been many bands over the years doing the same it is hard to make your mark, and Official Secrets Act have come up short.
RATING – 3/5
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Posted on April 2nd, 2009 by Max
Filed under: Albums, Reviews
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