Think a little less subtle than Coldplay and a little less inspired than the Doves, and you have Embrace, who scored a modest hit in the late ’90s and are now returning onto the scene with Out of Nothing. The album is filled with the intensity of pounding piano keys and there is a faint resemblance to Chris Martin’s urgency found in lead singer Danny McNamara’s vocals. The band likes making big sounds, as heard on the first track, “Ashes,” which sounds like it was produced in a stadium packed with back up singers. Every song seems like a massively orchestrated production, like when rock stars insist on trying their hand at creating an ill-fated opera with everything in excess. “Keeping” is a splendid exception that rings true to the fact that sometimes less really is more. The album is a bit too loud and anthemic to be classified as your usual dose of Britpop. Embrace was the odd man out when another British music invasion occurred at the end of the ’90s with acts like Oasis stealing the show. Now with the onslaught of more cohesive and melody-driven bands like Coldplay and Keane, hopefully Embrace won’t be left behind again.
Archived article by Sophia Asare
Sun Staff Writer