Broadcast — Tender Buttons

Adam’s already written a review of Broadcast’s new album on Speakers, so I’ll write my thoughts on the album here.

Firstly, I am amazed that it is actually time for a new Broadcast album! I felt that I still hadn’t fully digested their previous album, Haha Sound. I can’t believe that Haha Sound was released two years ago. I actually can’t. You get used to long gaps between Broadcast albums. The Noise Made By People was famously difficult to make, leading to a three year gap between their first group of singles and their first album.

I spent most of 2001 and 2002 feverishly logging onto Warp’s website for any sign of Broadcast news. Then when Haha Sound came out, I took hardly any notice of it! Broadcast are still a special band to me though. The Noise Made By People was a real milestone in my record collection; it was the first time I bought a record that was released on that pesky Warp label, and I’ve been a little Warp fanboy ever since.

The wait since Haha Sound was handily filled by the release of the limited edition Microtronics CD, a fun little mini-album inspired by library music. Nevertheless, despite the fact that Broadcast bring albums out much quicker these days, they seem to shed members by the bucket load. Originally a five-piece, who have probably gone through more drummers than you can count on your fingers, Broadcast have gradually been whittled down to just a core duo — the singer and the bassist. So Broadcast feel more like a Trish Keenan solo project than ever. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing, of course.

It’s a far cry from the more clinical, haunting, dull (as in muffled, not boring) and almost forced sound of The Noise Made By People. Tender Buttons feels like an extension of Haha Sound. The electronics are yet brasher, and there is still lots of weird freeform soundscapery. Even the artwork is still quite similar, using the same fonts and handwriting as Haha Sound and the same colours as Microtronics. But this is more than just a rehash of the band’s recent work.

The new album is much more focussed, more immediate and catchy. Songs aren’t allowed to go on for longer than they need to. Opener ‘I Found the F’ lasts less than two and a half minutes; the beautiful ‘Tears in the Typing Pool’ is perfect at just over two minutes. The first four tracks are all immediate — they were embedded into my head after just one listen. In terms of songwriting, Broadcast have never been better than they are now.

Meanwhile on the instrumentation side, Broadcast seem to have completely done away with those troublesome drummers. Instead, we’re treated to plenty of the old drum machine. Keenan’s singing is just as monotonous as ever. Melodies are simple and often childlike. On paper, Broadcast ought to sound robotic by now. But we’re treated to a fun, interesting listen. I’m looking forward to the next Broadcast album, even if it is with âˆ’1 members!