Busted - Night Driver (November 25, 2016) Album • Page 21

It was my first time hearing it. I liked it, although the repetition in the chorus didn't sound as catchy/melodic as I would've expected it to. I'm sure the studio version is better though, right?

 

It's pretty similar but yeah, just better. I'm very rarely a fan of a repetitive chorus but I like this one, ha.

Twitter seems pretty positive about it which is surprising, I usually see nothing but hate on there.

 

Solid performance but it definitely felt a little unrehearsed. What was with James? Sure, he's the weakest of the trio vocally and he's pitchy at the best of times, but to completely overdub him? Disappointed with that.

 

I like this album a lot! Relieved more than anything else, as well as just wanting to play it again (listened to it twice through so far).

Good points: Variety and depth - the production and sonic textures are excellent, lots of little hooky details in pretty much every song (flashes of keytar, big gated drums, BASS, tons of synths and some Bruce-Hornsby-ish piano, guitars that go from scrawly and widescreen to clipped and funky). I think my favourite in this aspect is Out Of Our Minds - also, I love James' voice in that song's chorus, sounds Son-of-Dork-era to me :D
Charlie's voice is excellent, and really helps drive the messages home (a highlight for this is New York). This is fairly important given he sings loads of the choruses! In fact, everybody's vocals (and vocal manipulations) are sounding cool apart from the weird bit in Those Days Are Gone (end of the chorus, maybe it'll grow on me but right now it just takes me out the song).
Thinking of You is so catchy, as are the already-released singles and I Will Break Your Heart. New York sounds epic and wistful, as do Easy and Without It to a degree.

Bad points: Really minor so far, but:
A few more harmonised choruses with every member at a similar level in the the mix would be nice, like the old days (I think this only really happens on Coming Home?).
I feel Kids With Computers needs something else to it.
While Charlie generally sounds great, on I Will Break Your Heart he gets a bad case of the slurry indie-girl vocals! Pet peeve :P
At times, some better lyrics would be nice. Generally, they're good for what they are, sometimes really decent, and let the music take centre-stage, but some seem outright bland on initial listen (eg."Nothing I can think of now really makes much sense/Don't know where I'm going now, don't know where you went"!?!). Part of why I was drawn to Busted in the past were their interesting lyrical premises - I know they're older now but...well tbh I'm not sure what I was expecting, a song about a really bad Airbnb experience or something?

Random comparisons that popped into my head: New York gives me a big Phil Collins vibe, especially the melody of James' bit and the drums. I don't even like Phil Collins that much but I love this song!
The verses and post-chorus of Kids With Computers reminds me of some of Hot Chip's discography, like the parts where Joe Goddard sings.
I agree with the person who said the guitar line in I Will Break Your Heart sounds like Chocolate by the 1975, I think it's nice and fits well with the drum pattern.

 

James is pretty much the worst singer and not half good enough to sing live there imo.

I kinda wish the vocals were pushed higher in the mix in New York.

 

Irrespective of whether he's good enough, and I believe he is, I don't buy into that at all. I think if you're there performing, you have an obligation to both yourself, the audience, and the viewers tuning in at home to actually sing your verse.

 

I mean people never performed live on top of the pops, this is pretty much the same.

 

I had the same problem at first but now it doesn't bother me. I love that song so much.

 

There's a difference though between miming instruments (in a live studio where things are constantly being moved around and it's difficult to get levels and good sound for every band) and miming vocals. Generally TOTP only pre-recorded the instruments; the vocals were usually done as live, at least in the latter years.

 

Oh yeah I know I'm just saying BBC has previous. It could come down to he's sick and wasnt comfortable with his voice on the day or the producers wanted a flawless performance.

 

First critical review in...6/10 :/

Says the album's enjoyable and well-composed but lightweight and lacks personality, and that the "gaudy synths" undercut any sense of maturity. Better than McFly :P

 

What's that guys issue with McFly? lol.

 

anyone figured the lyrics for i will break your heart? can't figure out what charlies saying in the pre chorus?

 

Yeah, I really don't get the hate on bands like McFly/Busted. They've got talented members with likeable personalities who formed on their own terms and write their own songs (lol @ "manufactured boybands").

God forbid artists embrace a more 'pop' sound or generally have a younger female fanbase.

 

I want the vinyl but getting it to Australia is an expensive purchase.

 

Stand out tracks for me are "New York," "I Will Break Your Heart," and "Without It."

I feel your pain. Sometimes it's worth it no matter the cost though.

 

Oh, favourite tracks time:

Right now my top 3 are New York, Out Of Our Minds and Night Driver.

 

24 hours til I get to hear it. I'm still seriously pissed off how everyone on planet earth has heard it and not me

 

Everyone's thoughts on Those Days Are Gone?

The song just kind of just passed by to the end without me realising. Didn't really process much. Does it sound same to the studio version?

 

You're not alone. This thread is both incredibly frustrating to read but also exciting.

 

Those Days Are Gone is probably my favourite song on the album at this point. It's close between that and New York at least.

 

It sounds almost the exact same on record :D I think it's the most "on-trend" song of the album - like fusing piano-backed remembering-times-gone-by Adele songs with the whole "tropical house" thing that's going on right now! Wouldn't like it if the whole album was like this but it's not!

Not my personal favourite but, that said, I think it's a grower - for me it's gone from near the bottom to mid-tier on the album already.

 

TDAG would have been my favourite on first listen if it hadn't been for the little voice sample parts. It was still top three and it's only grown on me since.

 

You're right, I think I'm going to do it. We have the same top three tracks too!

 

Debut at 16 in Australia. Pretty good considering they only snuck into the top 30 over a decade ago with School For and have never toured here. Couldn't budge the boob, flume, tallica and crowded house though stiff competition