THE man behind Hot Chip returns to the solo scene with a reflective second individual record. Synth-laden, quiet and calm, the approach is about as far away from Taylor’s day job as it’s possible to get and, as a result, it takes some getting used to.
He’s happy to let his vocals take centre stage and here lies the problem. It’s neither good nor strong enough to drive the stripped down sound – Closer To The Elderly the worst example of Taylor struggling under the pressure. It has been hyped for its “deep insight and profound feeling” but, while this may be so, it’s also, unfortunately, rather dull.
While The Beatles could make masterpieces out of tracks that stayed firmly fixed in one key, Await Barbarians is merely robotic and repetitive.
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