Review Summary: They've been mine and many others fave band for years but now they've got mainstream success, is it the same old Biffy? Yes but with a few tweaks.
Biffy Clyro are probably one of the most underrated band in the history of modern rock. They've spent 12 years doing their own thing and have become the kings of the UK underground rock scene. Their 3 previous efforts: Blackened Sky, The Vertigo Of Bliss and Infinity Land were all brilliant albums but, the latter 2 particularly, were never going to be a commercial success due to their unpredictability - songs ranging from quiet melodic sections to full on screamo. All this changes on Puzzle. While the album is still unquestionably alternative - as the weird time signatures on 'Now I'm Everyone' testify - the songs are all reasonably radio friendly. Indeed tracks such as the hearfelt tribute to singer Simon Neil's dead mother 'Folding Stars' and the acoustic lament 'Machines' would sound totally fine on daytime radio - but totally out of place on the bands previous albums. One begs the age old question to be answered: Why fix it if it isn't broken? This is what Biffy seem to have done here. But is it a bad thing?
Well thankfully no. In fact Puzzle is an excellent album. The wonderfully bizzare opener is 'Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies'. The first minute and a half is totally composed of seemingly random guitar stabs that must take telepathy to play every night. 'Saturday Superhouse' is straight out Nirvana and Sunny Day Real Estate esque rock with a fabulous chorus. 'As Dust Dances' is epic and the aforementioed 'Now I'm Everyone' is also a high point while 'Semi-Mental's' driving riff made it a fan favourite before it was released. The acoustic closer 'Machines' is also wonderfully tender - similar to the likes of Infinity Land's 'The Atrocity'.
However for all these plus points the remainder of the tracks are distinctly average. 'Who's Gotta Match?' is seemingly an abridged version of QOTSA's 'No One Knows'. 'A Whole Child Ago' is good enough but doesn't quite get as weird and wonderfully Biffy as it promises to do early on. 'The Conversation Is...' well the bands poorest studio album track. 'Love Has A Diameter' is also a song that wouldn't get on as a b-side on their previous 3 records. 'Get ***ed Stud' is the new Biffy by numbers but could really do with a few trademark Simon Neil screams and '9/15ths' is a bit too weird for its own good - with gothic choirs and the like. Previously mentioned 'Folding Stars' is just too ordinary for a Biffy song in my opinion but listenable enough.
So although the album has brilliant songs it also has, unlike every other Biffy studio album, filler tracks. It's been a commercial success for the band and it's not at all a bad record but I for one hope the band return to their old selves for their 5th album - due early-mid 2009
TRACK BY TRACK RATINGS
Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies - 5/5
Saturday Superhouse - 5/5
Who's Got A Match? - 3.5/5
As Dust Dances - 4/5
A Whole Child Ago - 4/5
The Conversation Is... - 3/5
Now I'm Everyone - 4/5
Semi-Mental - 4/5
Love Has A Diameter - 3/5
Get ***ed Stud - 3.5/5
Folding Stars - 3.5/5
9/15ths - 3.5/5
Machines - 4/5
DOWNLOAD
1) Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies
2) Saturday Superhouse
3) Now I'm Everyone
