Nothing wrong with reinvention. It’s a good thing, sometimes even an essential thing, for a band to do. If a musician’s sound is stagnating, their fan base is dwindling, or their egos are swelling, then a reinvention is often never too far from their thoughts.
What if said musicians happen to be a gaggle of fresh-faced indie darlings still riding high on the critical acclaim of their début while the ink is barely dry on their GCSE papers. Well that gaggle happens to go by the name of Bombay Bicycle Club and they’ve ditched their electric guitars and effects pedals in favour of ‘going acoustic’. Reinvention or suicide?
Flaws features not only their own work in stripped back acoustic mode, but also cover versions, such as Joanna Newsom’s Swansea and Fairy Tale Lullaby by John Martyn - both of which lack lack the potency of the originals.
Elsewhere Flaws mananges to avoid feelings too saccharine or transparent. Stand out tracks Ivy & Gold, Leaving Blues and a reworking of Dust On The Ground showcases both Jack Steadman’s unique voice and the band’s musical ability.
Bombay Bicyle Club are clearly a band that are going to do things on their own terms and although Flaws doesn’t compete with the debut, it was probably never meant to. The lads from Crouch End are still head and shoulders above that Mumford lot and the rest of folk-revivalists around at the moment - beating them at their own game - but even more exciting, electric, times surely lie ahead. 7/10
