2009 November | Get Your Melancholy On

Biffy Go Mainstream. And I Love It. November 6, 2009

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I’ve posted about Biffy Clyro before, where I brought you their quiet-loud-quiet-loud-quiet-loud shouty rock masterpiece, “Mountains”.

Finally, Biffy have decided to release the album containing said quiet-loud-quiet-loud-quiet-loud shouty rock masterpiece (from hereon know as QLQLQLSRM) (despite that QLQLQLSRM being released well over a year ago). And….well….Biffy, back in the day, released some very experimental stuff. However, as time (and each album release) passes, Biffy have gone more and more mainstream. More accessible. Less experimental. And do you know what? I love it.

Biffy Clyro

“The Captain”, the first single release from Biffy’s new album “Only Revolutions”, is a little bit epic. Starting with 20 seconds of clapping, followed by what sounds like a big brass band introduction with heavy guitar accompaniment, obscure lyrics coming in at 40 seconds, followed by one of the most singalong moments I’ve heard in years, with the entire band chiming in for

Somebody help me sing
Woah-oh-oh-oh
Somebody help me sing
Woah-oh-oh-oh

Help me be captain of
Our crippled disguises
I won’t show what’s underneath
It’s time for surprises
I can’t climb up your ladder
I can’t ride your horse
I’ve swallowed half an hourglass
So now the landscape is swollen up

You’ll find your head nodding. You’ll find your foot tapping. You’ll find yourself singing

Woah-oh-oh-oh

And you’ll find yourself grinning like a maniac at the entire brass band at 2:44.

The whole new album is quite like this. What “Mountains” pointed to, “Only Revolutions” fulfills. There are a couple of moments that hark back to experimental times, but in the main, Biffy have glossed it up, embraced the big choruses, and done a “Final Straw” on it.

Whether it gains them new fans, or loses them old ones, remains to be seen. But I, for one, am hanging around. Mon the Biffy, indeed.

Angels fall to the floor
Like they would if I was captain
“Silver children,” She roared
“I’m not the son of God”
Somebody help me sing
Can anybody hear me?
Liars and lovers combine tonight
We’re gonna make a scene

Somebody help me sing
Woah-oh-oh-oh
Somebody help me sing
Woah-oh-oh-oh

Help me be captain of
Our crippled disguises
I won’t show what’s underneath
It’s time for surprises
I can’t climb up your ladder
I can’t ride your horse
I’ve swallowed half an hourglass
So now the landscape is swollen up

I gave birth to a fire
It’s like it’s features where burning
I’m in control
I am the son of God
Somebody help me sing
Can anybody hear me?
Line up your soldiers one final time
We’re gonna have a ball

Somebody help me sing
Woah-oh
Somebody help me sing
Woah-oh

Help me be captain of
Our crippled disguises
I won’t show what’s underneath
It’s time for surprises
I can’t climb up your ladder
I can’t ride your horse
I’ve swallowed half an hourglass
So now the landscape is swollen up

Let’s lock death away
Let’s lock death away
Let’s lock death away
Let’s lock death away
Let’s lock death away
Let’s lock death away
Let’s lock death away
Let’s lock death away

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Biffy Clyro – The Captain