The Upper Room take the upper hand.
For all the beautiful simplicity of The Upper Rooms music, there is a haunting quality that simultaneously sounds of now but also of indie-pop throughout the years.
Opening track 'All Over This Town' would not have sounded out of place in the 1980s, such are the ringing guitars and the muted yet melodic vocals. Lead vocalist Alex Millers deliveries are spot on, theres a sense of humbleness and pathos in his phrasing that places the listener at ease.
And whilst there are many acts out there whose main role is to give people an easy time, The Upper Room have a spark that sets them aside from their bland contempories. The backing tracks of songs such as 'Leave Me Alone' and 'Your Body' positively bubble with energy and drag the listener along as the track throbs away. The lead guitars throughout the album patiently plays away, filling in the gaps and Intermittingly stabs its way through to the front, showcasing a talent and that less is sometimes more.
Its not just the band that brings the musical element, their sound is augmented by a string section on 'Never Come Back' which scrapes through the chorus and builds the music, in contrast to the lyrics which seem to be taking a darker tone. There is also an additional backing section on 'Girl' which is so reminiscent of Joy Divisions 'Atmosphere' that it cant fail to remind the listener of that great song.
The album balances the melancholic feel with a music that makes the listener feel like punching the air, it's a classic pop trick which has been perfectly honed throughout the years and certainly The Upper Room have learned well. Songs that refer to failed relationships, broken feelings and being unable to be killed anymore are wrapped up in joyous melodies which you would find yourself humming and nodding along to.
Theres a new level of acts coming through in Britain at the moment and there seems to be a strong quality these days. No doubt over time, one or two will make the big breakthrough and the rest will appear to be left behind and probably unfairly judged but these are good times. If this album had been released in the post Britpop comedown years of the late 90s it would have been hailed as one of the key records of the year. At the moment, its merely one of the stronger albums released at the moment.
For a new band, 'Other People's Problems' is a consistently strong record with a lot of decent indie-pop songs and The Upper Room definitely deserve to be checked out. With festival appearances coming up at T In The Park and V Festival, it may well just be worth your while checking them out, or buying the album for cheap in one of the many promotional deals the big music stores pull out.