Archive – Noise

After three albums of dramatic changes in line-up and sound, Archive settles down somewhat on Noise. Craig Walker is still in place on guitar and vocals, the same logo adorns the cover, the largely one-word titles are present and correct.

The shift this time is much more subtle. Noise is very much the least electronic Archive record to date. Effects, processing and synths are largely used to decorate the songs here, rather than drive them. 'Pulse' is the only notable exception, with its synth and breakbeat backing. The song also features Craig Walker attempting a very ill advised falsetto throughout.

The rest of the album finds Archive sounding very much like an arty, electronic-tinged indie-rock group. The guitars are fuzzy, the drums pound, and a string section adorns the slower songs. Frequent appearances of electric piano and organ hint at the band's past in trip-hop and progressive rock, but the sound is much rawer.

Walker's ear for melody holds this new sound together. Singles 'Noise' and 'Fuck U' are repetitive, but tuneful enough, and performed with enough gusto, to stand up well. 'Sleep', 'Conscience' and 'Me and You' are all beautiful ballads that hold up brilliantly against the bulk of You All Look the Same to Me. 'Waste' and 'Love Song', on the other hand, jarringly contrast mellow opening sections with heavily distorted climaxes that might be too disjointed for a lot of listeners.

Not all is great. The middle of the album definitely sags, with two needless interlude tracks, the aforementioned terrible vocals of 'Pulse', and 'Get Out', which channels Oasis in a very bad way. Some of the longer tracks would probably benefit from being trimmed by a minute or two. The album's biggest weakness, however, is there's no 'Londinium', 'Cloud in the Sky' or 'Again'. Nothing here leaps out as a classic. 'Fuck U' is almost there, but it let down by its adolescent lyrics.

Noise is a decent album, but it seems the lack of shake-up between records has led to a hint of complacency behind the scenes. Shifting to a rawer, more live sound, evocative of the album's title, gives the album some identity of its own, and there are plenty of songs to enjoy. But after three excellent, unique albums, it's hard not to feel a little disappointed by this record.