Witnessing Bipolar Empire at close quarters performing live on the set of the video shoot for the title track of their debut (featuring a cameo from boxing champ Katie Taylor), yours truly was reminded of the unbridled passion, energy and dynamism of ‘80s rock that is so often missing in these days of introspective indie. Not since the heyday of U2 (with the possible exception of Whipping Boy) has there been an Irish band that has so unashamedly taken it to the audience, rather than the other way around.
The debut album from the Dublin four-piece, recorded in LA and Dublin with legendary producer Pat McCarthy (REM, U2) and Kila’s Lance Hogan, confirms their adherence to good, old fashioned rock values.
With a great bass riff, pounding drums, anthemic vocals and buzz-saw guitars, the opening ‘Tempomanic’ recalls the best of outfits like Simple Minds, Big Country and our own An Emotional Fish, while ‘Playing With Fire’ and ‘It’s Only Darkness’ boast guitar licks, ambient textures and soaring harmonies aplenty. Frontman Shane O’Reilly’s voice is both powerful and fragile, while the band seem to instinctively know when to step up a gear or lay off the beat. With a pulsating rhythm section and metallic guitars contrasting with a pure pop melody, ‘Start The Show’ demonstrates their ability to straddle both sides of the rock/pop divide without falling off.
Elsewhere, they take it down a notch on slow-burners such as ‘Human Race’ and ‘Get Out’, the jangly guitars and piano vamping on ‘Trip Around The World’ recalls early period REM, while the melody and harmonies on the acoustic closer, ‘Why So Sad?’ are worth the price of admission alone.
This is big music with a big heart. It deserves a big audience.