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The Envy Corps: Dwell

22nd April 2008 | by Aidan Williamson

Legend has it that a human makes up their mind about something in an average time of 8.3 seconds. We'd seriously recommend extending that to at least 45 seconds on "Dwell".

As the band chimes up on "Wires & Wool", a level of misery is present which could make new-born kittens commit Hara-kiri. Just when everything looks to be heading the Thom Yorke direction, the band kick it up with what actually passes for a jaunty jig of a tune.

The obvious point being that The Envy Corps are not an easily digestible band, they do not make their point quickly before retreating to contemplate the next song. Instead they aspire to the age-old pursuit of the 'multiple-listen' ethos.

"Dwell" will appeal to few fans of the bands their garner repeated comparisons to. Too daring for the Coldplay crowd, too straightforward for the Radiohead crowd and as for the Arctic Monkeys comparisons, we'd suggest the commentators themselves listen to more music.

The constant shift between downbeat and uproarious, between order and chaos, between beauty and pragmatism is what keeps things interesting here and brings things closer to the territory previous occupied by bands such as Hope of the States rather than the aforementioned.

What is likely to act as a leash upon the listener is the sheer romanticism, optimism and joy inherent throughout the songs. Artful prose such as "Were my last words not quite as sobering as my epitaph. / Faint hymns and unuttered oaths, they line the path / But I'd like to bypass ruin." show that the Iowan trio approach their work with a greater interest in the constructive than the path of destruction which the majority of their peers seem to rally down with the enthusiasm of a man who sees a vending machine in the desert.

The range in musicianship also keeps the rivet factor high. Whilst the changeover in the outset is perhaps the most vivid, each song is instilled with its own personality. While "99, 100" is the giddy high-school student who just wants to dance, "Baby Teeth" is the lamentatious old man who too late realises that you cannot force everything to fall into places you define.

There are parts to "Dwell" which stretch the patience, but for the most part, it stands as a monolith amongst the plains of indie-rock. If they're lucky, maybe some of them will get to stand in the shadow of The Envy Corps.

Rating:  8 / 10