Sometimes here at Punktastic, we fall in love with an album so much that we completely forget to review it altogether. All deserved apologies then go to Atom Gang for the delayed review, as ”I See”, Said the blind man completely took my breath away.
The first thing that needs to be known about this record is there is not a single bad song here. Not one. Each and every one of the twelve songs has been thought out and written with such precision. Lyrically it’s sarcastic but in an appealing way and musically it has influences that range from Buddy Holly to Dylan but it’s got an accessibility that will appeal to the modern Future Heads/Kaiser Chiefs audience.
It doesn’t take long to realise that Atom are not The Misnomer, not in any way. The riffs and the trademark Ellis Slater song structures are all still there, but they’re a little more playful, a little more theatrical this time around. From the jaunty piano-led ‘I just can’t help myself’, to the overtly sexual lyrics of ‘Felt That’, the band have developed an irresistible character and charm. Seriously, I haven’t met a single person who hasn’t fallen in love with this album on first listen. But then when you consider well-crafted songs with witty lyrics and staggering arrangements have a universal appeal, it’s not a surprise.
“I See”, said the blind man is my album of 2008. Go out and buy it.
Andy R