It must be over five years ago that I last reviewed a Clearlake album. I remember LIDO as being a gentle, and quite beautiful pop/rock record. As is the way with so many great records from great acts, it went nowhere, submerged by the hype of others, and overcome by an indifferent UK music press. This is a very different kind of record; diverse and beats-laden; and I like it, with reservations…

A relentless, highly strung guitar riff and driving drum rhythm opens No Kind Of Life. There’s a subtle melody to guide this dark song along its way, with detached vocals matched to the song’s vibe. It’s a solid start. Neon follows in a more trad heavy rock style, with the bass guitar providing a wandering backdrop throughout. I can already imagine both these opening songs tracking well on radio, and providing the soundtrack to a chaotic car journey. Good Clean Fun is next, and really doesn’t do it for me – it says nothing interesting. Finally Free is a more solid and convincing punk tinged song, with vocals dominating for the first time. A strong rhythm section powers this song along together with decent backing vocals, and a strong melody. It’s good, but not great. You Can’t Have Me is a keyboard dominated song with the occasional guitar rush, and an echoed vocal reciting a rather boring refrain. Not bad, not good. A waterfall of keyboard notes starts the next song and title track, Amber. This is much more interesting and highly original, with some extraordinary double bass and fiddle passages winding around an almost talking-pace vocal. There’s a distinct folk flavour to this, my favourite track on the album. The pace quickens up again for I Hate It That I Got What I Wanted, and the quality of this song makes me wonder whether this album has the ‘better second-half’ syndrome. Quiet moments are interspersed with rocky ones complete with diving guitar riffs and tumbling drum beats. Sure enough, Here To Learn sustains the quality with a jagged guitar vibe, and a killer drum rhythm foundation. The album concludes on two pleasant, stripped-down, slower songs in Dreamt That You Died and Widescreen, while the final song, It’s Getting Light Outside, waves goodbye with another telling drum performance.

Despite giving this album a buy recommendation, I have to declare that I expected more from this band, and am left wondering where it may head next.

3.5/5