Clor-clor
This is an album, which promises a lot but disappointingly doesn't quite deliver. Excellently produced there is enough going on to suggest that with time Clor could become an artist to watch out for.
In a nutshell this is a seventies and early eighties funk sounding album with a shade of Indie rock bringing it bang up to date. Musically it's an interesting listen although a few of the songs lack that killer hook and instrumentally it's far classier than the vocals allow it to be. There are so many influences and comparisons that can be thrown in to describe what Clor are doing but a random selection include Prince, on a number of tracks, Basement Jaxx and the more electro end of Beck's spectrum. Some fantastic feel good tracks open proceedings but sadly both the consistency and variety aren't quite there and unfortunately some of the songs in the latter stages let the side down. For this reason it, at times, has the feel of background music. Ultimately when you can hear traces of other artists in any music and if it doesn't grab hold of you, you can be left searching through your CD collection for the tracks that your mind has wandered away to.
That said there are some undoubted stand out tunes on this eponymous record. The strongest being 'Good Stuff', which opens the album with an intro that has a cinematic sound to it, before the distinctive eighties beat and baseline kick in which are the backbone throughout. Unlike later offerings, 'Good Stuff' has the ability to get embodied in your skull, Clor are starting at the top and working down.
Track two 'Outline' has a touch of electronic beck about it, it vocally reminds me also of the Polyphonic Spree and at this point so far so good.
Other strong moments include 'Love + Pain', which has made it's way onto one of the many major summer compilation albums, the one that claims to have the best bands ever on it; and 'Gifted', which is one of the most interesting tracks on here as it does go places that the rest don't. It is a guitar based ballad with none of the funk of the rest of the record, although when put up against a lot of this kind of indie music that is all the rage these days, it is fairly unremarkable, but the change from the norm does make you stop and pay it due attention.
This album has it in it to be a grower but to what extent I can't be certain as it definitely needs a few listens to appreciate what's there and it's at that point it starts to get a little bit dull . It will be interesting to see what they're made of in the live arena.