Search - Engineers :: Engineers

Fine, but compared to "Three Fact Fader," buy it second

John L Murphy | Los Angeles | 12/20/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I heard "Three Fact Fader" and loved it. I found their 2005 debut first, and bought it. By comparison, much more mainstream than the 2009 follow-up. That is, more like Britpop of the 90s dusted with shoegaze from a decade earlier. ("Home" is a cinematic track that appropriately is the theme for HBO's "Big Love" series" in its 2009-10 season.)



The album's a solid one, but the songs in striving for a big epic quality threaten to dissipate into pleasant rather than propulsive sound. The tracks as they go on tend towards a sharper, bit harsher delivery. These enhance the production better than the dreamier, diffused approach that dominates this CD. "TFF" (also reviewed by me) expands the more experimental, less pop approach that's hinted at in a few songs here, and the band chose wisely this evolution.



It's a good listen and is made for headphones. Those who seek a progressive, slightly danceable at moments, and poppish style of rock may rate this higher. Doves are a fine comparison if you have not heard Engineers, who so far languish on small import-only labels as far as I can tell. This Northern English quartet deserves attention and I am pleased that they kept with their struggle and held together after this and the label troubles for their second CD. This is an obvious place to get acquainted with a band that holds much promise and I wish them well. If your tastes tend towards dreamy rock-pop with a room-filling ambition, it's an album that you'll return to."