BBC HomeExplore the BBC

10 July 2009
Accessibility help
Text only
ManchesterManchester

BBC Homepage
England
»BBC Local
Manchester
News
Sport
Weather
Travel News

Things to do
People & Places
Nature
History
Religion & Ethics
Arts and Culture
BBC Introducing
TV & Radio

Sites near Manchester

Bradford
Derby
Lancashire
Liverpool
Stoke

Related BBC Sites

England
 

Contact Us

Like this page?
Send it to a friend!

 

Album reviews


Biffy Clyro - Infinity Land
Biffy Clyro - Infinity Land

Biffy Clyro - Infinity Land

Last time we saw this Glasgow three piece, they were being tipped for great things but couldn’t sell out a phone box. Now, thanks to Kerrang and relentless touring, they have a top 30 single and this album could quite easily go top ten. Why?


Infinity Land

  1. Glitter And Trauma
  2. Strung To Your Ribcage
  3. My Recovery Injection
  4. Got Wrong
  5. The Atrocity
  6. Some Kind Of Wizard
  7. Wave Upon Wave Upon Wave
  8. Only One Word Comes To Mind
  9. There’s No Such Man As Crasp
  10. There’s No Such Thing As A Jaggy Snake
  11. The Kids From Kibble And The Fist Of Light
  12. The Weapons Are Concealed
  13. Pause It And Turn It Up
  • Out on Beggars Banquet
  • Rating: 8/10
  • Reviewer: Paul Clarke

Well, it’s partly the hard work but it’s also the fact they are a genuinely clever band who play with time changes and power chords as if they were rawk veterans.

The aforementioned hit single, Glitter and Trauma (number 21 pop pickers), sums them up with an unsettling squeaky electronic intro, big chords and Simon Neil’s wonderfully committed voice. Oh, and brothers James ands Ben Johnson are one hell of a rhythm section.

Forthcoming single My Recovery Injection is way more catchy and, on the back of their next tour, will definitely crash into the top 20. But at this heart of all this goodness is an odd schizophrenia.  On one hand they are a competent rock band so you can see why Kerrang might rate them but they are also a wonderful indie band.  In a way, that is where they score best.

The Atrocity is a new form that I dub neo-rock-emo and this semi-ballad has touches of very early REM, while Some Kind of Wizard is out and out emo, before they dip into dull rock with Wave Upon Wave Upon Wave.

The song that hints at greatness for the Biffy boys is the simply stunning There’s No Such Man As Crasp.  Scary isn’t in it as Simon Neil puts down a spine tingling vocal only performance that is the best vocal performance I’ve heard this year.  Truly beautiful.

Infinity Land is their breakthrough album and they are ready to take on the Lost Prophets as Britain’s best new rock act.  But they could also take on the indie kids too.  Maybe that is a weakness but on this showing it doesn’t matter.  A quantum leap from the last time they appeared on record.

last updated: 11/10/04
Have Your Say
Your name: 
Your comment: 
 
The BBC reserves the right to edit comments submitted.

Dave Moody
Biffy Clyro are brilliant, not alot more to it. Dont try to dub them neo-post-hardcore-rock-emo or anything a like please! some music is meaningful, as in you listen to it and it provokes emotion. The very term 'emo' just represents meaningless music, winy teens, sold out punk, and metaphores that any sane child could dream up. Please dont confuse good music with it, we all know the difference. Regards, dave

himself
i love this band they manage to do all sorts of different things at the same time but the only annoying thing about them is I cant find any tour dates!

SEE ALSO
home
HOME
email
EMAIL
print
PRINT
Go to the top of the page
TOP
SITE CONTENTS
SEE ALSO

What do you think of this album?
Absolutely top
Excellent
Average
Dull
Waste of money



[an error occurred while processing this directive]
BBC Music: an essential guide
all the music on the BBC




About the BBC | Help | Terms of Use | Privacy & Cookies Policy