(EMI)

You try and think of an album name to go with rainbow feathers

Fans who have followed the West Australians since 2007’s Day One will find Birds Of Tokyo’s self-titled third album showcasing a modified but not too dissimilar sound. After cashing in on their indie (read, independent label) roots and signing with EMI, the alt-rockers have constructed an album of more radio-friendly songs, carefully following generic pop-rock structures while folding through some classic Ian Kenny magic. No matter what type of album or band he puts out, Kenny’s distinctive, slightly effeminate vocals soar, slipping effortlessly over measured beat-driven tracks like The Saddest Thing I Know. Thanks to the wailing string backings on In The Veins Of Death Valley, Wild At Heart, and The Unspeakable Scene (clearly influenced by BOT’s recent Broken Strings tour), a mellower rock vibe is apparent, and there’s a lack of the emotional pull and rampant guitar hooks as heard on old favourites like Silhouettic and Wayside. We’ve all heard The Saddest Thing I Know countless times now to know the lyrics are too poetically neat and uniform to worry the heartstrings, but while it might be easy to dismiss BOT circa 2010 as too successful to find the edge they once needed when they hungered for recognition, tracks Dark Side of Love and Murmurs hark back to the brilliance that enamoured so many devotees to the band in the first place. And with Kenny singing, no one can be too disappointed.

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SAM HAGAMAN

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