Full Review: Athlete - Beyond The Neighbourhood

I go through so much music that there is pretty much always something new that I can be listening to and am listening to. I’ve developed a musical A.D.D. of sorts and it takes a really deep and powerful album to make a mark and have me continually thinking of it. Athlete’s record “Beyond The Neighbourhood” is one of those powerful records.

Because I have a continual need to listen to something new, most of my favorite CD’s are ones that don’t do much for me at first but continually find favor the more I am sucked into them.

“In between 2 States” is a 2+ minute instrumental that sets the stage with the electric drums and airy guitar. The song drifts into “Hurricane” which is a the stand out single for the album. “Hurricane” is fueled by the drums driving beat and guitar hook in the pre-chorus that continues through the entire chorus.

“It’s Not Your Fault” gives off a U2 vibe when the first line “It’s not your fault…” is sung out. While there are similarities to Bono and U2 its not enough to say they sound just like them. The song is a pop anthem which doesn’t get reveled until the ending. The last minute is spent building up the song even more with the same piano riff from the beginning being the underlying melody.

Athlete’s last album “Tourist” which was released back in 2005 caught my attention but only briefly as there was just something about it that I could not grasp onto and suspect others felt the same as it didn’t make a huge impact in the US. “Beyond The Neighbourhood” is a much more accessible record for a mainstream audience.

Every song is beautifully crafted with the perfect blend of pop and rock infused with meaty, thought provoking lyrics. Each song carries it’s own unique hooks that dig deep into your ear not letting you go.

Bottom line is this will be an album that you can enjoy for a long time. It’s a nearly flawless album in every way.