I've enjoyed this album for a while now, and I think it's finally time to give it the post it deserves. I first heard Simon Neil on Architects' Goliath and While She Sleeps' NERVOUS, and eventually I got curious of where this powerful voice resides. Lo and behold, UK rock outfit Biffy Clyro it was, although I had never heard the name before. Seems like they're well known in the UK and virtually unheard of anywhere else, but at least now I know them.
I remember this album evading my comprehension for a while. There was this surrealness to the catchiness of it all, like I was listening to an unstable variant of anthemic rock that seemed to permeate in and out of my memory. I can confidently say that this album is chock full of catchy tracks and great alt-rock cuts, but for the life of me, sometimes it feels like a dream I can barely remember. Makes it a great album to revisit every now and then, though.
Overall, it's easy to say what I love about this album and the band. The vocals are stunningly unique, the harsh vocals too, even if we don't see much of it here. The instrumentals are always either super catchy or super intriguing in a semi-experimental way, something I've come to learn has been their thing for a long time. Of course, the weird and quirky creative choices have simmered down a lot since their early days, but bits and pieces of refined unconventional ideas here and there are an absolute treat. They're no strangers to playing with time signatures either, which keeps the album from getting stale.
A Celebration Of Endings feels like their most accessible album, yet manages to maintain the unbridled creativity and spirit of the band in a modern presentation. Their pop sensibilities are at an all-time high, but they do not care at all about relenting to the mainstream appeal, and they're clearly doing what they want. Most people will be able to find at least one song to take away from this album, but any alt-rock enthusiast should find the whole album quite enjoyable.
Rating: 9/10