The Freezing Atlantic

They Say...

Review by Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide

Every generation throws out a band that will define the best of its time. The '80s may have belonged to Duran Duran, but it was U2, the new wavers turned superstars, whose dramatic dynamics and chiming guitar solos are today most admired and emulated. Aberdeen City kick off their debut album with "Another Seven Years," a magnificent tribute and homage to U2's early years that spectacularly captures the then-young band's exhilaration, power, and majesty. The superb production comes courtesy of Steve Lillywhite, who himself oversaw U2's first two albums. And it's no surprise that "God Is Going to Get Sick of Me" sounds just as stunning; Lillywhite produced that, too. That latter stellar number is much more representative of City's own sound, which -- while echoing the past -- is not so beholden to it. Unlike Lillywhite, Nic Hard, who produced the rest of the set, deliberately creates a tougher aura, often (and rather unusually for a rock band) pulling the bass and/or drums to the fore, giving the group more punch and a heavier sound. This perfectly suits the band, especially on songs like "In Combat," in reality a lovely, lilting song, given backbone by the rhythm section; "Stay Still," where Hard plays up the dark, post-punk edge of the song; and "Best Chances Are Gone," where he emphasize both the song's dynamics and swirling atmospheres. "Sixty Lives" is particularly power-packed, a blur of droney guitars and thumping rhythm pitted against a sweeping chorus. Then again, even the quietest numbers contain dramatic qualities, such as "The Arrival," which is haunted by a sliding lead guitar that bends its way across the song. U2 may have been the band's launching pad, inspiring both singer/bass player Brad Parker's vocal delivery and guitarist J. Ryan Heller's chiming leads, but Aberdeen City move far afield across The Freezing Atlantic, deep into post-punk, and on to more modern indie styles. Add equally shadowed and nuanced lyrics, a potent rhythm section, and diverse atmospheres, and you have all the ingredients for a stunning debut.