Music Review: Coming Up For Air

  Three or so weeks ago, I was recommended this album by Kodaline, by a good friend of mine. I wasn't too interested, so I put it off until last week. At the time I was listening to it, I wasn't keen to actually "absorb" the music and really listen. So I wrote a review, which had a great lack of enthusiasm and was all negativity.

  However, yesterday, I decided to give it another listen a few days ago,  paying attention to things like the lyrics and how they affect the songs and the melody. I discovered that it wasn't half-bad, and while most of the things I wrote in the first review I feel are true, I have many positive remarks to add to them.

Kodaline, from left to right: Vinny May, Jason Boland, Steve
Garrigan, Mark Prenderghast

    Kodaline was formed in 2005 in Swords, Dublin, and was known as "21 Demands." In 2011, they changed their name to Kodaline. On many websites, they are said to be of an indie/alternative/folk rock genre, and while I agree to some extent, I also disagree. Just because they play their own instruments, it doesn't necessarily make them sound like they're a rock band. 

  "Coming Up For Air" is their second studio album, released in February 2015. The mood of the music is usually sad or depressing, and it almost makes you feel as if you want to lie down, while not relaxing you. The lyrics are quite clever in some songs, while others are not.

"Coming Up For Air" Album Cover

    The only thing I really enjoyed about this album, were the songs Coming Alive, Unclear, and Love Will Set You Free. These songs have the most interesting lyrics in my opinion, and they draw me in the most.

    One thing I disliked about this album, was that a lot of the songs reminded me of songs I've heard before. They had the same melody, the same beat, etc. The majority of songs reminded me of Coldplay or The Killers, and a few sounded exactly like One Direction. Another element of this album that I disliked, was that in some songs, the lyrics are incredibly repetitive. I understand that choruses are repeated several times, but as in the song "Everything Works Out in the End," it's the same lyrics over and over again, with this verse being repeated throughout the whole song:

"They told me
Everything works out in the end
Everything works out in the end
Everything works out in the end
Everything works out in the end

Everything works out in the end
Everything works out in the end
Everything works out in the end
Everything works out in the end"

   Overall, this album was okay, but it wasn't great. Some of the album  had a lot of meaning, while other parts made no sense and were almost boring. And while Kodaline has a lot of talent, it was nothing special that I hadn't heard before.

★★✬☆☆

5/10