Runaway [Go] – Alive

Ok. We’re a tad late reviewing this album, so apologies to all concerned. But better late than never as the saying goes, and the one thing that the delay in reviewing this fine album allows for, is the reviewer being able to say that this is an album with staying power. I know, because I was one of those who contributed to the pledge campaign to fund the album’s release, having been a fan of the band for a couple of years. So, I’ve listened with regularity to this album for over 6 months now and my liking of it has not dimmed in that time.

For me, the band has so much to admire, but nothing moreso than the unique blend of Fiona O’Kane and David Jackson’s voices. You can only wonder that two people with such a perfect blend of voices found one another in such a small part of the world. Music gurus could try to find a blend of voices such as Fiona’s sweet, fragile soprano and David’s strong, earthy baritone, searching nationwide and not find any better. The duo and producer Michael Mormecha, clearly recognise this as their strength; the thing that separates them from the other Indie pop/rock wannabes. From the second verse of album opener, ‘Ashes’ to the anthemic finale of ‘Home to the Clouds’, Fiona/Dave vocal synthesis is right to the forefront of the mix.

The album features everything long-time fans of the band like myself have come to expect – infectious, classy indie pop songs that have hooks and melodies you will be singing for days after. This band can write tunes and without trying too hard can capture the essence of modern life and love in their lyrics. Too many artists try to hard to cram everything into the lyrics and (many more) others don’t try hard enough. Runaway [Go] get the balance just about right.

If I have any criticisms they are really minor. It is a shame there isn’t a song that features David on lead vocals with Fiona being the counterfoil – but I accept that any album is just a sample of what the band is doing at that point in time, and maybe such a song does not yet exist or was not deemed strong enough to make the album. Also, the production is a tad slicker than on their previous singles and E.P. and, while this is understandable, given that the band inevitably strive to make their work more accessible – I like to hear my guitars a tad more. My other (small) gripe is that the album is too damn short. I am greedy for more. 9 songs, mostly fairly short in length and concise, leaves us panting for more. If you also consider the album includes a 3^rd recorded version of ‘Delicate Man’ (for those of us that have the E.P.), we are really only getting 8 new songs (plus I prefer the E.P. version –sorry lads n lass). If old songs were to be included, I’d have chucked the E.P. in for free. These are not my decisions however.

These small criticisms in no way detract from my love of the album and I would hope (and expect) ‘Alive’ to further Runaway [G0]’s profile nationwide and beyond. They are something different in an increasingly homogeneous musical landscape. There has to be room for good, classy indie pop bands to do their thing, even if this is 2016, not 1996 or 2006, and Runaway [Go] are as good at what they do as anyone, plus they have that little twist of originality courtesy of Fiona and David.

 

 

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