4.5 out of 5 ain't bad!

4.5/5 http://www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/16653/

I am initially drawn to The Slow Readers Club by their name; I listened to a few tracks online and downloaded their self-titled album. These boys from Manchester deliver an unexpected and intense journey from the very first note.

One Chance, the opening track has the scent of desperation, capturing your attention from the off. It starts with a gentle electro style entrance, moving into deliciously thrashing guitars, underpinned by purposeful rhythms. Kurtis Starkey has a familiar warm tone, but unique in his delivery. His vocals drift into a haunting melody and echo round my head long after the song has finished.

Track after track, offering a painful and reflective indictment of our current society. The overall sound is tainted with a hint of Manchester indie scene, but channelling a different and more exciting vibe. It breeds a kind of happy misery, a theme that reverberates throughout the album. It carries you on a journey you tread every day, a no hold's barred walk through the difficulties in today's culture. Block Out The Sun, due to be the next single release, worthy of every one of the 5 minutes. It is (for me) the best song from the album, lyrically eloquent with an impassioned angst.

All Hope, starts with the promise of an uplifting more positive melody, but descends into the most beautifully tragic journey through modern life, full of torment and an understanding of pain, loss and love-lessness. I am transfixed, unable to skip a track. Sirens delving deeper into your psyche, taunting us with lines like ...'I've had enough someday it's got to stop!'

Learn to Love the System is another favourite. It suggests someone embroiled and integrated into a society, but desperate to break free from the daily constraints and required conformities. It touches a chord and articulates the kind of prose I cannot, despite my words.

I have to admit having this on loop for at least the first three full length plays. From the start to the end, I wallow in this darkly painted picture unable to skip any one of the 12 tracks. Brilliant penmanship and pure inspiration...the best £8 I have spent this year. Buy It!!

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