The Wombats' Modern Glitch

This Modern Glitch is the long awaited sophomore album from indie rock band The Wombats, based in Liverpool, England. Geographical release dates varied through April 2011; 22nd in Australia, 25th in Europe and 27th in the United States. The album was preceded by a less known EP simply entitled The Wombats EP in April 2008, and their debut album A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation, released in January 2008.

The first taste of This Modern Glitch was released in the UK on September 27th 2010, ‘Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)’. The upbeat song contained a more electronic feel with reliance on synthesizer that was absent in their debut, leaving listeners to expect this change to be a reflection of the upcoming album. The second single from the album ‘Jump Into the Fog’ was first available on the 8th November 2010, continuing the more electronic sound while remaining true to the band’s indie roots.

However, though definitely different from its predecessor, I did not see the electronic elements to be extraordinarily strong throughout This Modern Glitch. Though definitely apparent, it’s much less prominent than in the two pre-released singles. There is definite musical experimentation throughout the album, such as the introduction of ‘Anti D’, one of the slower songs from the album that introduces the orchestral element of violin, which is an interesting and pleasant contrast to the synthesizer that appears on other tracks.

I find that the lyricism has improved from their debut, which I interpreted as quite narrative in format. The maturity of the band is really apparent in the lyrics, which explore some mature concepts and elements that A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation did not. One of my favourite lyrics is from the song ‘Anti D’, which muses “It’s hard to smile when you’re as flattened as a pancake”, to which vocalist Matthew Murphy adds an interesting twist with his rich Liverpool accent. Another outstanding lyric to me was within the song ‘Walking Disasters’; “And if these words won’t drop from your lips, I will be your Freudian slip”, referencing the subconscious and the renowned theorist in psychoanalysis, psychotherapy and neurology, Sigmund Freud.

As far as structure goes, the album begins with the song ‘Our Perfect Disease’, which is not a particularly outstanding track, but it’s a good transition that is probably the most closely related to A Guide to Love, Loss and Desperation. It’s got a strong, simple beat and it sets the indie tone for the rest of the album. Next the album jumps into ‘Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)’, striking a familiar chord with listeners early on. ‘Jump Into the Fog’ is up next, which seems a little odd as far as placement goes, as even though it’s still quite electronic, it is a slower and more intense song than the one before it, not to mention it places two singles in a row. However, I suppose it is a relatively good transition into ‘Anti D’, the slowest song on the album and one of the most conceptually rich, which I would expect to find near the end of the album. ‘Last Night I Dreamt…’ seems fitting to follow, with an intense introduction before a lighter chorus, layering intensity in an interesting way both musically and lyrically. ‘Techno Fan’ comes in at number six, once again throwing a more electronic feel into the mix, as the title would suggest, and creating a great tune that you can’t help but dance to. Following is ‘1996’, my personal favourite track that defines the whole album quite well, as it incorporates electronic elements, very indie tunes, slower conceptual parts, and overall the universal theme of reminiscing on simpler times. ‘Walking Disasters’ is next, presenting a great beat and tune in general with just a small dose of synth. ‘Girls/Fast Cars’ is the penultimate song, shallower in meaning than a lot of the other songs, but a great catchy sing-a-long track that I dare you not to dance to. Last of all is ‘Schumacher the Champagne’, in my opinion the track that has the least to offer. There is an almost anthem feel to the chorus which doesn’t really work too well, although I quite enjoy the likeness to the voice of Julian Casablancas of The Strokes as the line “Or not at all” repeats as the song fades out. The beat creates a sluggish sort of feeling which is quite clever and amusing, but overall I do not think it ties the album together the way that a final song should.

Overall, This Modern Glitch is a great album that will be tough to beat this year. ‘Techno Fan’ is the latest single, but I was surprised to discover that the next will be ‘Anti D’. It’s definitely a different commercial direction for The Wombats, and I’m sure it will be exciting to see where it takes them.