[.ca] If Youve Never Been

From Amazon.co.uk:
If you've never been where? At first glance, the dreadfully styleless, say-nothing title of Embrace's third LP If You've Never Been appears to spell a certain stagnation in the McNamara brother's grand design. Actually, that's far from the case: an inversion of the chest-beating arrogance of debut album The Good Will Out and a simplification on the sometimes forced eclectica of its follow-up Drawn From Memory, If You've Never Been finds Embrace doing what they do best--lip-quivering ballads that gesture toward truly great things, and just occasionally, reach the dizzy heights at which they aim. The opening "Over" might span seven minutes, but it's over in the blink of an eye--the tale of a disintegrating love affair from which a new life blossoms anew, bourn up on Mick Dale's lush keyboard swathes. From there on in, it's familiar, but heartening stuff: "Wonder" is reminiscent of a restrained take on Oasis' "The Masterplan", while "Satellites" begins swaddled in Sigur Ros style ambience, and spreads its wings into a characteristically almighty torch song. There's the odd irritation: those unnecessary guitar effects on the otherwise pretty "Hey, What Are You Trying To Say". But niggles aside, If You've Never Been is another good, if not quite awesome album from the McNamara brothers. Which just goes to show, what's in a name? --Louis Pattison

Chronique amazon.fr:
Si, à force de pétillants albums, Embrace ne réussit pas à cartonner et enfoncer les portes des hit-parades, au moins finit-il par s'imposer comme un groupe délicieux qui a plus de choses à dire que ses aînés d'Oasis. Par rapport à eux, l'aisance est pourtant la même qui, dans l'écriture, pourrait les voir tutoyer les sommets. Régulièrement, ils donnent de leurs nouvelles sous forme de singles aux refrains accrocheurs, dont toutes les qualités requises pour ne plus lâcher l'auditeur sont systématiquement au rendez-vous. Toutefois, depuis le précédent Drawn From Memory réalisé en 2000, la formation semble avoir gagné en maturité. Préférant désormais se cantonner à un registre folk qui fait la part belle à l'intelligence légère d'arrangements particulièrement sophistiqués, les frères McNamara touchent au plus profond. Leur mélancolie, communicative, est le compagnon idéal des soirs de déprime, et le romantisme leur sied à merveille. Pour s'en convaincre, il n'y a qu'à écouter le bien nommé "Happiness Will Get You In The End". --Hervé Comte

genius for the patient:
Actually, this is the first Embrace album I really listened to. I didn't have the chance to get The Good Will Out and by that time, this came out. Let me tell you, if you appreciate epic songs, you'll love this album. They are so good, it's sick. The guitarwork is great and the tunes are pretty catchy once you listen to them more and more. Wonder, the single, is easily one of the best on it. Over takes some listening to hear all the little nuances. If You've Never Been in Love with Anything is more pop driven and is reminiscent of the Kinks. Lush and highly underrated (in the US at least) overtures from a great brother duo. This shouldn't be an import!

UK underdogs deliver.:
Embrace, it must be said are not everyone's cup of tea. Each new Embrace album is met with adoration by fans and dismissiveness by the UK music press, and I must confess I find it a bit baffling. Too often they are laden with a sub-Oasis tag or considered to be Brit-rock also rans, but it's the fans that know the truth - Embrace are a much, much better band than often given credit for. Embrace's music is not cryptic or high-minded or inaccessible, and in today's art/musical/cultural climate these characteristics are considered as attributes. However, If You've Never Been's appeal lies in it's heart-rending ballads and pulse-quickening rock, and it connects almost immediately. In this respect, Embrace's music is not at all unlike Coldplay's easy charm and melodicism. Take the opening song 'Over', it's a tremendously moving tune that begins with a simple, catchy, circular riff that slowly builds to a rapturous crescendo combining strings, guitars and Danny McNamara's soaring, aching vocals - truly visceral, spine tingling stuff. 'Hey What You Trying to Say' is of a similar mould - great hook, great chorus, nothing complicated but strongly felt. 'Many Will Learn' is perhaps the dark-horse in the pack, it isn't one of Embrace's more crowd pleasing or anthemic songs yet it has a subtle, unassuming beauty and poignancy to it. To the uninitiated, If You've Never Been is a perfectly good place to start, and for existing fans, - with the likes of the warm and familiar single 'Wonder', there should be plenty here to, er, embrace.

	Custom Search