Sunset Rubdown – Dragonslayer

Sunset Rubdown - the band that was originally a mere side project of Wolf Parade's Spencer Krug, but then took on a quite sizeable independent life of its own - here return with their fourth full length album, after the critical success of 2007's Random Spirit Lover. And it is an album that is perhaps simplest to discuss in terms of both its credits and debits, its yin and its yang - of which there is much.By this I mean, I think, that listening to, attempting to get to know, and finding neat summations to make about this music is no simple task. For every plus point there seems to also be an opposing negative, a grating aspect of the sound or imagery or delivery that would almost cancel it out, to the point that even know, well into the second paragraph of writing this review, I am not entirely sure if I actually really liked or really actually quite disliked it, overall.The bad stuff - that really begins to rankle on repeated listenings - includes the sense of grandiosity, almost pomp, with which many tracks are infused. Witness the declamatory statements/pronouncements made, such as "I believe in growing old with grace" ('Silver Moons'), and "I'd like to fight the good fight for another couple of years" ('Dragon's Lair'), although it is much in the delivery as the actual words that the great impression of self-importance comes across. This is perhaps exacerbated by the vocal delivery, which veers dangerously close to a hybrid of Mike Scott (Waterboys) and Bono on several occasions, particularly when the over-used "singing the same line again and again" device is used (worst culprits here are 'Idiot Heart', 'Black Swan', 'You Go On Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II)' and the massively over-long closing track 'Dragon's Lair' which simply ends up sounding like the band didn't quite know how, or when, to end it).There are also some almost unforgivably cheesy / dated sounding guitar riffs deployed, sounding more like something from an 80s hair metal band than one would ever really quite want to hear ('Silver Moons', 'Idiot Heart', 'You Go On Ahead'), although this is admittedly mitigated by their being just one out of a whole range of different, contrasting guitar sounds used - in other places you will encounter a pleasing Mary Chain-esque shredding ('Idiot Heart' and 'You Go On Ahead' again) or a screeching dissonance coupled with a repetitive, compelling single bass note, as featured on 'Black Swan'.Finally, still in the debit column, the lyrical concerns are of the semi-mystical and legend-dappled variety, which can sound fey and a little unconvincing. References to practicing "ancient ways" ('Silver Moons'), "Icarus" ('Idiot Heart'), "Apollo" ('Apollo and the Buffalo and Anna Anna Anna Oh!), "Sampson" and "Delilahs" (sic) ('Nightingale / December Song') and the titular dragons abound, and, coupled with the vocal delivery, contribute to the somehow out-of-time, out-of-kilter aura that surrounds this album.But... Despite all of the above, when a track gets under your skin, and takes flight then it really does soar. Opener 'Silver Moons' is both moving and genuinely touching, especially in the "gone are the days bonfires make me think of you" section towards the end; and both 'Apollo and the Buffalo and Anna Anna Anna Oh!' and 'Paper Lace' similarly manages to reel the listener in. The latter - perhaps the most enjoyable track here - is almost reminiscent of Sparks in its upbeat, slightly camp synthy goodness.Ultimately, though, this isn't quite enough (for me) to counter the more irritating aspects of the album. Having reached the end of this review, I find that I am, in fact, only able to give it a half-hearted recommendation. 60%Sunset Rubdown on Myspace