Album Review: Hurts - Exile
BY İDİL DAMLA BİNGÖL (IE/IV)
English synthpop duo Hurts released their second album on March 8, after three years of waiting. Their first album, "Happiness," was very successful all over the world and made Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson quite famous. After a successful debut, a second album usually creates stress for both the artist and their audience, with continuity of the success becoming an important issue. Here we are with the same question: was the success of Hurts' debut a coincidence, or will they prove that they've earned it?
"Exile" is a bit different than "Happiness." It's again a synthpop album, but with obviously different feelings, inspirations and a wider range of instruments. While listening to the album I found myself constantly thinking about Depeche Mode or Nine Inch Nails, while "Sandman" in particular reminded me of Kanye West songs. Compared to Hurts' first album, things are more complicated. "Exile" is built upon "Happiness," but it's both darker and brighter at the same time, and gives the feeling that it's bigger and heavier. There are more dramatic choruses, more back vocals, more varied instruments. There's so much 80s and 90s in it.
"Exile" also tells a more dramatic story than their debut album, a story that contains disappointments and heartbreaks, but this time the storytelling is not as impressive as in "Happiness." The duo hide this, however, beneath bright musical moments, choirs, violins and electric guitars.
My favorite songs from "Exile" are "Sandman," with vocals by young girls and whistling; the impressive and anthemic lead single "Miracle"; and the saddest and the simplest moment of the album, "Help," featuring Elton John's piano. "Cupid" is the most Nine Inch Nails moment and "Exile" heats up the audience for a very Depeche Mode-y journey, hinting at a dose of drama with the words: "So we'll say
goodbye girl / And watch as the world burns." This is a "first cut is the deepest" kind of drama, and it never decreases for a moment, either musically or semantically.
Unlike "Happiness," "Exile" doesn't have a certain kind of completeness, even though various songs and themes create their own completeness in an almost 80s-tribute sort of way. It also doesn't have the simple melancholy of "Happiness," but instead a bright and dramatic sadness.
There are a lot of dark-bright moments in "Exile"; it's heavier and more dramatic than "Happiness," and more complicated, not in either a good or a bad way. For the most part, it's a satisfying album. With 12 catchy songs that are easy to listen to and sing along with, it's almost like the definition of a pop album.
This Week's Songs:
Here's your mini-list for this week's new songs.
1. Portugal. The Man - Evil Friends
Portugal. The Man is one of my all time favorite bands, and as I mentioned before, anything and everything produced by Danger Mouse deserves the adjective "perfect." Their new album will be released on June 4.
2. Justin Timberlake & Four Tet - Suit & Tie
It's a Four Tet upgrade for good old Justin Timberlake, and it's definitely working!
3. Jupiter - Elliot Uppercut (Mr. Gonzo Remix)
Jupiter's "Juicy Lucy" was an addiction for me last year. It was one of the best, and this remix compliments "Elliot Uppercut" nicely.
4. Boyz Noise - Ich R U (Justice Remix)
If both Boyz Noize's and Justice's names are on a song, you should expect something good, always.
5. Surfer Blood - Demon Dance
This week's taste of indie rock.
Enjoy.