Hot Chip – One Life Stand
by Matthew James on February 9th, 2010
Hot Chip – One Life Stand
February 9th, 2010
Astralwerks
Score: 6.5
Gone are the days when Hot Chip were one of those bands you could keep like a secret, discover at a side stage on the afternoon of a festival, or use to try and outcool your music-loving mates. The 2010 version of Hot Chip finds them having to live up to expectations. They are now a pop act well clear of the underground and indie toilet circuit. Thanks mainly to the impressive sophomore album The Warning and the dancefloor-ready electro-indie classics such as ‘Boy From School’ and ‘Over And Over’, it’s very probable that a decent proportion of the youths of Britain and America have at some point heard a song by Hot Chip. So while 2008’s Made In The Dark solidified the band’s new position in the limelight, it may sadly be true that One Life Stand will be seen as their first real disappointment.
That’s not to say that One Life Stand is a bad record. Far from it. At various points across the 48 minutes of music here are some of Hot Chip’s best moments to date. Opening track ‘Thieves In The Night’ quickly comes into its own after the intro gets its ‘Blue Monday’ on. Alexis Taylor’s soft crooning meets the wonderfully uplifting synth build quite perfectly. An unexpected guitar solo only adds to the charm of this truly staggering beginning. The title track’s chorus is a moment of near flawless pop while ‘Hand Me Down Your Love’ is almost a fresh take on Doves’ ‘Black And White Town’ with its reminiscent piano and driving drum beat. Mention should also be given to ‘Brothers’, a slow melancholic celebration of friendship. It’s tracks like these that are able to set Hot Chip apart from other acts in the electro-pop genre due to Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard’s ability to convey real emotion and integrity. “Brothers, I can play Xbox with my brothers”, they harmonize together before continuing with tales of drinking sessions and the genuine bond of friendship.
It’s from here that things begin to shift from outstanding to ordinary. The aptly titled ‘Slush’ is a bit, well, slushy. Like a slow bible belt gospel song, it just never really goes anywhere. It’s nice enough on the ear but not really what you want from Hot Chip. There is also the Eurotrash disco nonsense on ‘We Have Love’ before ‘Keep Quiet’ breezes by almost unnoticeably. The chilled out cool of ‘Alley Cat’ is one of the few standout moments of a somewhat lacking second half to the album. Hot Chip are a group that can perform songs of differing mood and pace very effectively but here it all feels a little top-heavy. The flow of the record is not quite right with the best five songs being the first five.
I don’t think the Hot Chip bubble will be burst by One Life Stand. As I said, there are some really great moments to enjoy here. ‘Thieves In The Night’ and ‘One Life Stand’ are songs I plan on listening to a lot over the coming months and year and will sound superb against the band’s back catalogue live. But the sad fact is that much of One Life Stand’s second half is rather underwhelming and lacking in the imagination and uniqueness that made Hot Chip such a beloved act. You can be sure I will be awaiting their next release in great anticipation as it’s clear these guys have it in them to make another great album, perhaps even a classic. Unfortunately, One Life Stand is not it.
Matthew James
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