Play the last track off 'Take to the skies', Enter Shikari's first album, then listen to the first of this one. It starts right where its predecessor stopped. Yet, the two are very different and the four English from St. Albans have teremously evolved. It's not surprising when we know that the songs which made the band's success were written several years ago. As an example, 'Sorry, you're not a winner', their number one hit, originally dates to 2003. The Hertfordshire quartet have been criss-crossing roads non-stop and was not born with 'Take to the skies'. Proof is the fact that Enter Shikari were in 2006 the second band ever to sold out the London Astoria without even being signed on a label, even before having released an album (is it still necessary to mention that it is essential to see them live?).
So it's with much impatience that their wide fanbase has waited for this 'Common dreads' which was going to set their favorite band's future. And it should be promising. However, Enter Shikari did not choose the easy way. 'Common dreads' will surprise you, like 'Take to the skies' had surprised at its release. And maybe even more. With their second album, while they already were standing apart from the British alternative rock scene, prefering to play DJ sets in small clubs and taking their friends' bands on tour rather than filling up stadiums opening for Lostprophets or Funeral For A Friend, stray away even a little more from labels and actual trends. These mix sessions precisely had a huge influence on the group's work. If we knew their strong fondness for trance, the electro elements were until now staying in the background in compositions, providing sometimes rhythm, sometimes an intro and from time to time sounding too much "Nintendo", which is not the case anymore at all (apart from a few notes on 'The hectic'). They are today totally integrated into Shikari's sound, building the melodies by themselves, becoming the key mesure of the quartet's ambitious playing. The interludes are way more consistant and interesting, at the edge of a real full-fledged song. The keyboard takes new and much more original dimensions than in the past, often played alone, creating sometimes genuine drum 'n' bass anthems for the dancefloor ('Zzzonked', 'The jester'), sometimes dubstep breaks ('Havoc A', 'Havoc B') and even dance beats for clubs ('Gap in the fence'). The team clouds the issue always more. We even go through a jazzy flute intro on 'The jester' and brass and strings instrumentations on 'Fanfare for the conscious man'. However, we recognize some elements that made 'Take to the skies' a success, with songs mixing insistent keyboard, almost metal riffs and brief gang vocals like 'No sssweat'. They here bear the titles of 'Step up' or 'Antwerpen'. But the strongest track may be 'Solidarity', perfect opener for the album, its psychedelic synth quicly joined by heavy drums and powerful guitars making it an instant killer track. Shikari also show off, more than ever, their talent for melodies, the single 'Juggernauts' is a hit too and 'No sleep tonight', the lightest and poppiest track of the record, will with no doubt gather crowds.
But what would Enter Shikari be without the memorable vocal performances of its frontman Roughton Reynolds? Even if we rejoice with guitarist Liam Clewlow (Rory)'s more frequent interventions and most of all with bassist Chris Batten's, Rou's voice litteraly carries the four-piece. He still fluctuates so easily between numerous singing style, now reaches quite high notes in perfect tune, but now yells rather than screaming its best lines. Conversely, he added another string to his bow, the spoken word in this case. You won't be able not to think of The Streets when listening to his delicious English accent on the spoken parts. Those give more texture to his texts that do deserve this little promotion. Indeed and maybe to the surprise of many, 'Common dreads' is a politicized album from start to finish. Enter Shikari have yet always been a committed band, would it be in their lyrics (one of the first album's songs dealt with fair trade, for instance) or in their fidelity to Do It Yourself ethics. It is an obvious fact today, when reading the lyrics of the songs composing this record. In the manner of Gallows and their 'Grey Britain', Rou and his gang send with 'Common dreads' a virulent declaration to their country and the heads of this world, even using the same snake metaphore on 'Havoc A': "The lions are at the door, we ain't takin' orders from snakes no more". Frank Carter's rats here are lions, Rou's songwriting being much more optimistic and looking forward to the future. In this period of worship of change, the band proves all its human and political conscience and calls for the resurgence of ideas and popular mobilizations. The attacks to the consumerism ("Constantly relying on consuming to feel content / But only because we lost such with this home that we’ve spent / Trillions of dollars training for our wants and not our needs / And now we’re growing tired of planting bleary-eyed seeds") and the hopes of rallying may seem naive but are judiciously sent. The record takes up the values of community, commitment and action. Enter Shikari don't propose anything new but the message is full of interest, conviction and thinking.
The four English guys found their sound with 'Common dreads'. A more mature and focused sound. The mix of genres and their mastery of compositions are disconcerting. Listen to the beginning of the songs, then listen to their end right after and you will be amazed by their ridiculous musical fluency. There isn't really any equivalent to what does the four-piece to date, the comparisons with all those screamo/electro/vomito MySpace bands (Attack Attack! and friends) or Nintendocore (HORSE The Band in the lead) being proved completely distorted. To stay 100% British in comparisons, let's say Enter Shikari now, it's a rave in a basement with The Prodigy, The Streets et Gallows. They create genuine songs within the tracks themselves and all this without repeting themselves. Faults are few, even the slow songs that were 'Take to the skies' big bad point here are mature and subtle. 'Wall' starts like a dark ballad and right when you begin to think the track is getting boring, a brilliant breezy chorus comes to give more life and transform the song.
So there isn't any big reproach to make about this album, even if it will probably disappoint the greatest mosh pit lovers. The shows will be less violent to the sound of these new tunes, more adapted to be listened at the maximum volume in your car. It is though obvious that the band keeps this ability to gather crowds, Rou's introduction line on the first track summing up quite well this idea: "Here tonight, I clock a thousand heads / Here to unite, through common dreads". The hype over, Enter Shikari got free of the bad only to keep the best. Scene kids will walk away, but an entire generation will be able to find themselves in this album, just like an entire generation will be able to thrill to the sound of these songs live.
4.5/5
Recommanded if you like:
The Prodigy, Pendulum, Chiodos
Check also:
The Qemists, Exit Avenue, Rout
The Qemists, Exit Avenue, Rout
(Ambush Reality, 2009)
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