Hurts' Exile: Track By Track

"Exile"

The first track, which gives the album its name, should, in my opinion, be the most representative of the work as a whole. It does convey the darkness of the album, with lyrics like "... so let the heads roll" but they don't seem particularly meaningful and the music isn't extraordinary. It makes a great album title, though.

"Miracle"

"Miracle", the first single off of the album, is one of the catchiest tunes. Many have noticed its resemblance to "Princess of China" by Coldplay, which subtracts from the merit I would originally give Hurts. The lyrics come off as a bit cliche, but they are ultimately saved by the anthemic sound of this track.

"Sandman"

"Sandman" has a refreshing r&b influence that the previous tracks do not. Otherwise, it would be a bit repetitive of the themes and motifs present in the rest of the album: death, mercilessness, etc.

"Blind"

This is argueably one of the best tracks on "Exile". It starts off with an extremely catchy round of oh's and builds to a magnificent chorus. The particularly great thing about this song is that it combines a great meoldy with meaningful lyrics. It strays a bit from the norm of the album, since we hear Hutchcraft singing about loving someone desperately, but it is still perfectly integrated in the album, with lyrics such as "cut out my eyes and leave me blind."

"Only You"

At this point in the album, I just feel like it has a weak start. "Only You" is another great track, in which the synthpop music stands out. The lyrics are quite simplistic, so the music is the real protagonist.

"The Road"

This track successfully creates a dark atmosphere with the chilling back vocals and slow tempo. When it gets to the chorus, the rhythmn increases and you can practically hear the exasperation in the singer's voice. I think that what truly stands out is this atmosphere it creates more than the lyrics in itself.

"Cupid"

Lyrically unidimensional and not especially catchy, this track is one of the weaker ones. It has a more rocker vibe than the rest of the songs, which is pleasant and interesting, but doesn't compensate at all.

"Mercy"

This is another one of the songs on this album that leaves me indifferent. The violent amd sadistic lyrics are not surprising at all and the sound of the song is nothing new either. The piano in the song is very beautiful and the song is well produced, but it has no surprise factor, catchiness or well written lyrics that could make it stand out.

"The Crow"

"The Crow" is one of the softer songs on the album and also one of the most beautiful. The simplicity yet magnificence of the music highlights the vocals and lyrics. The way it combines the dark lyrics with such relaxing music works extremely well.

"Somebody To Die For"

This track sounds like something that could have easily been on Hurts' last album. It conveys that hurt feeling they always channel, with sensitive lyrics and not once straying from their unique style.

"The Rope"

"The Rope" combines a great piano melody, inspiring lyrics and of course synthpop elements. Their combination creates a wonderful track that manages to mix the two sides of Hurts: the softer one and the purely electronic and anthemic one.

"Help"

"Help" is a great way to close the album. It is the softest and most touching song on "Exile". The lyrics seem confessional and the music is truly beautiful, with choirs, piano and plenty of theatrical elements that make this track even grander.