I always find music fans weird. When Biffy Clyro were announced as the headliners of Download for 2021, there was a “twitter storm”. Like anyone with clout gives a shit about what the modern equivalent of what Marillion termed “angry from Manchester” writing to “complain about all the repeats on TV.”
The general thrust of this all was that Biffy weren’t rock/heavy/big enough to do it again (delete which ever one of the inaccurate clichés was appropriate). Generally speaking, the type of people spouting this sort of nonsense were those who think that because a band has a single on Planet Rock they are going to change the world.
So, lets debunk each of those theories one by one. In fact, it takes 25 seconds to sort the second one. That’s how long the mighty riff for “North Of No South” takes to kick in. Then there’s the “size” thing. Now, debating the relative size of bands is about as pointless as one of those pub rows about who supports the “bigger” football team, but a look at the album charts right now and “Celebration Of Endings” is right there at the top of the tree. The band’s third such accolade, by the way. I’d contend that there’s not a British rock band that formed post 2000 that has such a record over such a period of time.
But its always been on their own terms. Frankly, Biffy Clyro never have sounded like anyone else (and you can pick whichever influence you want from The Pixies, to Feeder, to Rush even) so they probably don’t care either.
Even for them, though, “…..Endings” wanders. Crikey, if their “Balance not Symmetry” soundtrack record last year was brave, this one is positively fearless.
“The Champ”, for example, wraps itself around a piano riff, with strings to match, before it thumps and finds the time for some ELO-esque harmonies. All inside four minutes.
Many of these are almost like mini-prog things, without resorting to Queen type histrionics. “Weird Leisure” is a real highlight, and its chorus, by the way. It’s going to soar over Donnington next year. The fact its hook is “you’ve polished off your cocaine, your face is fucking numb” is merely an example of the way they subvert the formula.
“Tiny Indoor Fireworks” has a kind of Manics urgency, but with an added pop pulse and glam rock sensibility, while “Worst Type Of Best Possible” crushes and jangles all at once and not many use words in the way that Simon Neil does. Take “Space” for example, a genuinely lovely ballad, it is both at odds with the record as a whole, yet oddly typical of the band.
James Johnston’s bass is to the fore on the brilliant “End Of”, while the angular guitar work has hints of Therapy? albums, but as it bursts into action, it becomes clear that not only do the band have a signature sound, but also the sloganeering “I am not your fault, but I am your problem” is as sharp and on point as ever.
I mentioned Rush earlier in this, and that was deliberate, because on “….Endings” it feels that the prog idea of exploration has really taken over. “Instant History” in particular, with its electro, near New Order tastes, doesn’t sound anything like they’ve done before, and if “Pink Limit” – on which Neil manages to find a guitar melody that is incredibly catchy – is the type of stuff they are famous for, then even here, the boundaries are being pushed.
“Opaque” has hit single, and massive hit single at that, written all over it. Acoustic, and not a million miles away from “God And Satan”, it is superb, but perhaps appropriately for an album with this title, it’s the last one that makes you go “wow”. “Cop Syrup” wouldn’t be out of place on an At The Drive In album, before taking itself to somewhere where they’ve never been. Floating, gently in some early Genesis type reverie, which you are quickly disavowed of by the very last line on offer. “Fuck everybody, woo!” And there’s a definite feeling here that they have made a record – first and foremost – to please themselves.
Yet, it’ll please fans too. “A Celebration Of Endings” doesn’t feel like a full stop, but it does feel like a band with plenty left to do and say.
Rating 8.5/10
