Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness: Zombies On Broadway
As I mentioned the other day, Andrew McMahon has returned with the second album under his "In The Wilderness..." moniker, a synth pop record informed by a working stint in New York away from his family in California. With his former bands Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin, McMahon wrote brilliantly emotive songs at his piano. Here he seems to have made a calculated attempt to write a chart bothering album with mixed results.
When he gets this right, it can be joyous. "Fire Escape" is the perfect union of polished production and McMahon's ability to craft an anthemic tune and it's chorus has been stuck in my mind for months. "So Close" could legitimately fill a dancefloor and with good cause, as could the record's other high point "Shot Out Of A Cannon", although part of that may well be a personal weakness for handclaps.
Elsewhere though, "Brooklyn, You're Killing Me" proves insipid, as McMahon mumbles through the verses and "Walking In My Sleep" and "Island Radio" are largely dull tracks, though the former is undeniably jaunty. The record touches on his sense of guilt towards his wife and daughter singing "I want to make a life but I want to live there too" on "Dead Man's Dollar" and addressing his self destructive behavioural patterns on album closer "Birthday Song" (one of the record's less bombastic moments and all the better for it).
"When the spotlights are off and the crowd have gone home, you could be going home too". Zombies on Broadway is a mixed bag of a record and I wonder if McMahon would be better served by returning both to California and to his piano.
When he gets this right, it can be joyous. "Fire Escape" is the perfect union of polished production and McMahon's ability to craft an anthemic tune and it's chorus has been stuck in my mind for months. "So Close" could legitimately fill a dancefloor and with good cause, as could the record's other high point "Shot Out Of A Cannon", although part of that may well be a personal weakness for handclaps.
Elsewhere though, "Brooklyn, You're Killing Me" proves insipid, as McMahon mumbles through the verses and "Walking In My Sleep" and "Island Radio" are largely dull tracks, though the former is undeniably jaunty. The record touches on his sense of guilt towards his wife and daughter singing "I want to make a life but I want to live there too" on "Dead Man's Dollar" and addressing his self destructive behavioural patterns on album closer "Birthday Song" (one of the record's less bombastic moments and all the better for it).
"When the spotlights are off and the crowd have gone home, you could be going home too". Zombies on Broadway is a mixed bag of a record and I wonder if McMahon would be better served by returning both to California and to his piano.
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