Alexis Taylor and his merry men continue to mature before our merry eyes, and with ‘One Life Stand’ they’ve made their most accomplished and polished record to date. That means they’ve smoothed off a few of the rough edges in the process, but when the songs are as warmly romantic as this that’s a small price to pay. Not only that but they seem to be engaged in their own homage to house music in its infancy, or early Detroit-style chord progressions. Even with its similarity to Madonna’s ‘La Isla Bonita’, ‘I Feel Better’ is a winner, while ‘Brothers’ and ‘Hand Me Down Your Love’ have spine tingling harmonies. One further masterstroke here is to bring Joe Goddard to the front more, and the occasions where his vocal is used, such as ‘Keep Quiet’, are a perfect complement to the more feminine Taylor. The band’s best album yet – and the feeling is there’s a whole lot more to come.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
