Album review: BIRDPEN – There’s Something Wrong With Everything

October 18th, 2018 by jason

Jar Records [Release date 12.10.18]

BirdPen are a duo hailing from Southampton – singer/songwriter Dave Pen and guitarist, keyboardist Mike Bird. They have been making music since 2003, with this being their fifth full studio album.

Set in the now/near future the songs deal with a disjointed society, rife with social media overload, people reliant on pills to get them by and corrupt world leaders. Yet despite such serious and lets face it, depressing themes, BirdPen have uplifting melodies such as on the single ‘Eyes In The Sky’. Then there is the 80′s indie disco feel to ‘Oh So Happy’, a floor filling anthem if ever there was one at said disco- helped also by Dave Pen’s melodic singing.

‘The End Is On TV’ sees a clever use of electronics and drum patterns. The sparseness of the arrangement recalling Left With Pictures and fellow Southampton based progressive band I.T.

‘This Is Your Life’ starts off with a Pink Floyd approved intro, building up with a percussive drumbeat and bass, before the guitar crashes in halfway through and fades again. Inventive, interesting and exciting to listen to all at the same time.

BirdPen have created an album full of complex music underpinned by strong melodies, that touches upon prog rock, electronica, alt rock and even a touch of indie pop. An album about the times, for the times, don’t let this one pass you by. ****

Review by Jason Ritchie

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

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Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
RIOGHAN Hands (Inverse Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)