Hope Is Important - Idlewild (1999)

If you were to go by the early soundings on Hope Is Important you could be confused into thinking that a diet of hard rock awaits. That's because 'You've Lost Your Way' is thrash metal with incoherent screeching vocals producing an aural meltdown. No wonder Scottish band Idlewild regularly retreat to the northern offshore islands to conduct their gigs. This sort of noise would not be permissible in urban areas where everything is within shouting distance. As 'Hope Is Important' progresses, however, the foot is lifted off the pedal a touch and the album proper kicks in. 'A Film For The Future' has a clued in knowledge of melody and while it uses a battering ram guitar riff, it contains a pleasant toffee centre. 'Paint Nothing' has a rich harvest of raw dynamic sounds and is the quintessential indie rock stomp. Short and sweet, it does enough with its basic driving guitar nuances and soft/harsh vocals to raise eyebrows and the odd teenage heartbeat.

The all-encompassing 'When I Argue I See Shapes' represents Idlewild going at full throttle enjoying themselves. It has a pure honed vision with Roddy Woomble spitting out words that are dripping in irony while all the while the guitar jangle provides some salubrious company. More than any other track 'When I Argue I See Shapes' sets up 'Hope Is Important' as a delightful debut heralding plenty of promise. Idlewild have a burning talent that shines through over and over throughout this, their proper debut (not counting mini album ‘Captain’ released in 1998). 'I'm A Message' is the type of pop nugget that eventually leads to something altogether bigger and more valuable. It has the kinetic energy to power small villages. As is customary the song flits by in a flash, not without leaving several beads of perspiration on the listeners’ forehead, however. 'Safe and Sound' is a lot less hurried possessing a beautiful epic feel with the background strings bolstering its sound perfectly.

By keeping their influences close to their chest (although 'I'm Happy To Be Here Tonight' is an unmistakable R.E.M. pastiche and 'You Don't Have The Heart' has definite Pixies leanings) Idlewild's sound is remarkably familiar but at the same time fresh and rewarding. At times the songs contain adrenaline overloads like on '4 People Do Good’, which is like a hurricane trapped inside your ear lobes. Just remember to tell folks with hearing aids to take the batteries out when you play it. With so much to say, Idlewild perhaps rush some of the tracks when a more studied approach could have yielded a better, if a little less frenzied, album. Maturity and an ability to step back a bit would produce a more rounded album in '100 Broken Windows', the follow up. The last song on this album 'Low Light' resembles a torch song for marching into battle and on this showing Idlewild would take on all comers with consummate ease. 'Hope Is Important' is Idlewild's ingenious attempt at adding yet another fruit to Glasgow's already tasty muesli of indiepop delights. They are a band for the present and hopefully the future.

Rating: 7/10

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