Any alternative rock band that names itself after a Pacific island where the United States tested atom and hydrogen bombs in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s — that is, back when the U.S. and the Soviet Union hoped the Cold War wouldn’t escalate into all-out nuclear war — obviously likes to examine the dark side. And the lyrics on Moratoria by Bikini Atoll (the band, not the Pacific island) do tend to have a dark outlook. No one will accuse these melodic, London-based alterna-rockers of being an exercise in frivolous escapism or going out of their way to press the smile button, but they are not dark in a nihilistic, confrontational way — their darkness is a world-weary melancholia, not an exercise in total nihilism. There’s a certain amount of troubled beauty at work on Moratoria; lead singer Joe Gideon (who wrote all of the material) comes across as someone who is looking for reasons to smile and be optimistic but finds that there are simply too many demons in his presence. Gideon brings an interesting variety of influences to this 2002 recording — influences ranging from Spiritualized, Smashing Pumpkins and Television to Lou Reed. There are times when Gideon also brings to mind U2, but minus Bono’s uplifting idealism; if Bono and company see the glass as half full, Gideon tends to see it as at least half empty (perhaps even 75 percent empty). But again, Moratoria doesn’t wallow in misery or succumb to hopelessness; the album searches for hope even if hope seems elusive. Moratoria could have been more consistent; some of the songs are excellent, while others don’t hold up as well. But overall, this release leaves a favorable impression of Gideon and his London-based colleagues. – Alex Henderson
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