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Reviews
Originally formed by a group of high-school friends in 1984, Chinese Whispers found their sound amongst the art nouveau stylings of Glasgow’s Clydebank. Thirty-five years later and Chinese Whispers found themselves back in the heart of the music scene, pushing their ‘80s sound back into the spotlight with the release of ‘About Time’, an album filled with a sense of vibrancy and nostalgic wonder.
Arriving as a reflection on the past both warmly and also as a gentle warning about living in the past at the expense of the present, ‘About Time’ brings together eleven glistening, almost orchestral sci-fi tracks that effortlessly recreate the classic mid 80’s power-pop sound. The opening track ‘King of The Night’ perfectly sets the tone for the album, rising from a luminescent wave of synth tones to create a high-stepping medley of deft percussive strikes and unapologetically ‘80s vocals. It’s a stunning feat, transporting the listener back into the wild, creative heard of the era.
Second cut ‘Breathe’ lands with a sudden burst of sound that quickly transitions into wandering melodic tones, creating a slow-burning, emotive atmosphere that showcases a more nuanced sound, before the title track takes us back into the eye of the storm. There’s a touch of Genesis about it, rallying around a central and progressive pop sound that every listener will feel instantly familiar with.
Moving forward, ‘Rico’s Theme’ and ‘Hammer It Home’ conjure a deep, emotive sound that lingers well after the final tones have faded from your speakers, bringing a more global influence to the album, while ‘Midnight Movies’ burns brightly with a definitive rock edge. It’s the contrast between these more anthemic moments and the heavy, involving instrumentals, particularly in rolling acoustic chords of closing track ‘Epilogue’ that makes the album shine, heightening the central pop rhythms and making the album an authentic slice of ‘80s invention.
Both wonderfully familiar and boldly fresh, ‘About Time’ easily proves that it is more than just a recreation of old school sounds. Utilising cinematic pop sounds to create an impressive range of sounds and styles, Chinese Whispers have proved that the glorious sounds of the mid-’80s are still well and truly alive.
Score: 7.5/10
Chinese Whispers of Clydebank originally came to fruition back in 1984 and eventually breaking up, before reuniting 35 years later through a uni project, and in the process they crafted the full-length album About Time.
King Of The Night is such a vibrant opener that grabs you in an instant, and they only step it up another notch with Breathe, which is insanely addictive. It bobs along to a sweet beat, the tender acoustic chords are a delight and the Phil Collins-esque vocals are utterly superb. They then suddenly go in a radical dance-oriented direction with the title track, and it is a spectacular blast, after which is Rico’s Theme, a top notch instrumental piece.
Never Been A Better Time is defined by great riffs and a tasty hook that is guaranteed to get stuck in your head. The guitars remain a strong element in Midnight Movies, but it’s the glorious synths that steal the show, and while Au Revoir is a bit more straight-forward, the chorus is fantastic.
Take This Heart Of Mine is awfully catchy, Hammer It Home is drenched in this overwhelming 80’s vibe and the riffs are astounding, and lastly is You Can’t Turn Around, a decent one to finish on featuring some of the best writing of the lot as well.
One listen through later, and I have so much regret for having not found out about this group sooner, because About Time is a simply terrific record. I admire that Chinese Whispers stuck with the sound that was hot when they formed all those years ago, but have successfully brought it forward with a modern sensibility.
Admittedly, it does start to wean a little towards the end, but on the whole, especially when clogged together by a lush, high quality production standard, this is an album that deserves far more attention, content like this can’t afford to stay under the radar.
