Half way through 100 Broken Windows is a song of such wonderful loud/quiet madness that I couldn't help but fall in love with Idlewild, however briefly.
This was sort of my introduction to them way back in 1999, I was aware of a great track called When I Argue I See Shapes, from their first album prior to this coming out. I must have heard Roseability on the radio at some point and thought, fuck, that's a pretty cool song. They were Biffy, before I found Biffy. Then they went soft...
But anyway, 100 Broken Windows is still one of my favourite albums, certainly up until the halfway point when that song kicks in. One Idea Track has one of the loveliest chorus' ever, despite the words, but it's the shouting before that which I truly love. Proper full on shouting from Roddy Womble (no I'm not kidding, that's really his name). Wonderful. Spotify it. Then scream along. Cathartic much? Thought so.
'You can tell it works awhile, then it's time to move on.'The whole album has moments like that, and although there's some pretty standard post university style rock here too, they were, for their first three albums at least, a proper rock band. Not afraid to go for loud when it was really required.
Navel gazing? Plenty. Angry at an ex? Oh yes. Super. Perfect blend.
I never really get past the song Actually it's Darkness, the album nose dives a little in the later tracks, a bit of a sign of where they were heading. (Parting company with their noise merchant of a basist and going a lot more MOR.) But those first eight tracks are stand out for me, although closer Bronze Medal made it onto a few mix tapes back in the day, y'know, when the romantic in me still made those things. Pretty song though. Nothing wrong with that.
If you've never listened to them, get a hold of Roseability and These Wooden Idea, then, when you're loving those, check out Idea Track. Class.
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