Idlewild

Idlewild turn on the pop charm on their fourth album, swaddling songs in acoustic guitars, melodic choruses and a mandolin or two. Mandolin? Idlewild? Less noise and a more solid song structure make this somewhat of a departure for the group, which sounds more like R.E.M. than ever before.

Idlewild have been one of the U.K.'s most consistently ace bands for years now, despite
the distance they've advanced since the boyishly emotive punk rock of early records such
as Hope Is Important and 100 Broken Windows. Lead singer Roddy Woomble has grown up
in public, a Scottish indie-rock sweater boy with a penchant for Smiths-style poetic
introspection, an enviable collection of long scarves and a voice as shaggy as his... More >