Birds of Tokyo Universes
Birds of Tokyo Universes
8.5/10
Sharing a front man between two celebrated rock bands is no easy feat. Touring clashes, halving rehearsal schedules, and the mental energy exerted by this dichotomous personality can make or break most acts that find themselves in this bipolar situation. Luckily, the front man in question is Ian Kenny and the bands he captains are Karnivool and Birds Of Tokyo. But as the man himself says, the birds “are a very different beast from Karnivool.” Following in the footsteps of debut release Day One was always going to be a tough one, and Universes does an amiable job in its attempt.
Are number of catchy hooks are thrown at us immediately in the form of the gutsy energy of “Broken Boy” and “Silhouettic,” which has been garnering a huge amount of airplay lately, hardly surprising, it’s pretty damn catchy. The intensity in Kenny’s voice is really second to none, and this is Universes’ driving force. Tracks like “Wild Eyed Boy,” “White Witch” and “Train Wreck” showcase the driving ferocity that this bunch of boys can generate, which makes for an excellent listen; and yet somehow, the songs themselves just don’t speak as loud as they did on Day One.
Birds Of Tokyo blew audiences away with their debut release and heightened expectations in the same assault. Universes is a worthy successor, yet still somehow shies away from reaching the same dizzying heights we all felt on first spin of Day One. A small criticism for an otherwise great rock album. Knowing Mr Kenny can’t sit still for too long, the smallest of amends will surely be made on the Birds’ follow up album.
- Carley Hall
