Everything Everything - Man Alive

2010 hasn't been too good for new bands apart from electro-indie rockers Everything Everything getting some notice, but with their first album finally being released, can the Manc's produce results or is it more Nothing Nothing?

People who initially listen to this record will probably consider it an assault on their senses. Riffs juxtaposed with noise, hooks and the odd high-pitched voice crashing through never sounded so blissfully engaging. No matter how messy the sound might appear, it works together wonderfully and masterfully that you can tell a lot of craft and hard-work went into every second. I've been waiting for a while for this album and I'm happy to say it was worth it.

MY KZ, UR BF for instance, is a great opener and their most accessible track. It's energy, structure and melody is a great introduction to what you're about to be let in for and as the band have re-recorded a new video it must certainly be getting more of a push than it got first time round. If you're going to listen to just one track, it might as well be this.

QWERTY Finger plays like a less poppy Maximo Park song, which isn't necessarily a good thing. It's not one of their strongest songs but maintains the energy and works better in a live environment than on your iPod. It leads nicely to Schoolin' which people might argue was their 'breakout hit' depending on when you first heard them. It's catchy, strange, whistling riff would always stand out on the radio and did the job of bringing in the attention of the regular listener if anything.

Leave The Engine Room slows the pace down and shows how the band enjoy the reflective aspect of putting together some beautiful sounds to make up something less energetic and more emotional. They're not afraid of putting themselves out there with an immediate mature sound that it took Foals a good few years to develop.

Final Form keeps with an emotional, futuristic feel but ups the tempo from the previous track and invokes a lonesome atmosphere as the trademark three way harmonies that they do incredibly is left at the side for a few minutes. But it comes back with Photoshop Handsome, a fan favourite, which is one of the stand-out songs and they have worked on since the first time it was recorded so it sounds a bit different from what you might have heard before. It'll definitely make a nice surprise for old fans to look forward to.

Two For Nero, might initially sound like it comes from an old ye English court or another version of Golden Brown, but it soon dissolves into a heartfelt plea to a friend from a dark place. The build-up invokes a feeling of desperation and finally dissipates into a chorus of voices. Not something you're likely to skip to, but somewhat moving nonetheless.

Suffragette Suffragette is another stand-out record that always goes down a storm live. It's more of a balls-out combination of quiet and loud that has trademark Everything Everything lyrics - random, Burroughs-esque cut-up sentences, but with a touch of humour or geeky nichisms (is that a word?). "Who's going to sit on your face when I'm gone? Who's-a-gonna sit on the fence when I'm not there?" plays on the English language and semantics, but that might be reading too much into words put together that just fit the song. Maybe.

Come Alive Diana I'm still undecided if I like or not. The trumpets give me a headache for a start but I don't think it shows their strongest side. NASA Is On Your Side is their beautiful masterpiece and I could listen to it on repeat for years, it's ambient, slow, yet powerful vocals do indeed make me feel like I'm on a space mission floating amongst the stars. It takes some bands years to reach this kind of brave songwriting and they do it flawlessly and unashamed - these are four twenty-something guys who aren't trying to look cool and by doing so, and by creating such pieces as this, make them even cooler. To go from this song then onto Tin (The Manhole) is exquisite and almost mesmerising, it shows such a forward-thinking sense of sound. Compare this record to Klaxons' latest offering and you see how talent will always shine through hype. Could you imagine Klaxons making a song like Tin? Not only would they be unable to do so, but they wouldn't have the guts to stand behind it. As much as I love the out-and-out rockier pieces, by showing their more delicate side as this, it proves that this is a band to invest in and who won't let you down by giving nothing but their best, and aren't afraid to conform.

The final song Weights has always been a great closer and I can see it working as a real epic song that blows up the small stages they have been used to the last couple of years. The build-up and crescendo is on par with any of the biggest bands out there, the telling 'I know how it all ends, I know how it ends' just shows that in terms of this band, you really don't, but if they carry on with such great music, it can only end well.

Overall, this album has to be an essential purchase and I'd perhaps go as far as saying it's my favourite album of the year so far. Mainly because I can't remember what else has been released. There are a couple of songs I'm not so hot about but seeing as the highs are ever-so-high, I'd say this is up there with some of the best debut albums ever. If you're looking for something different, something new, something exciting, something beautiful, something energetic, something with a bit of everything; then make it Everything Everything because it has ... everything.... everything.

You can listen to the album for yourself for free on their myspace page www.myspace.com/everythingeverythinguk

Rating: 10/10