SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE MAD MILE – LEGROOM

THE MAD MILE
LEGROOM
INDEPENDENT

There seems to be an interesting explosion of shoegaze and post-rock bands popping up lately, and The Mad Mile are no exception. There’s something exceedingly strange and dark about this whole album, yet it’s hard not to be drawn into the maelstrom of dark atmosphere throughout. With echoes of the Pixies, Ride, and even, at times, midwestern emo (and I’m not sure I ever expected to write that in this review) about their sound, Legroom feels like a promising debut effort that could push the band to new heights.

There’s quite a bit to highlight here – opening duo “Wendy Houses” and “Smiths” set the tone perfectly, with the latter being my favourite of the two – while the lyrics bite on songs like “Einstein’s Birdbath” and “Usable Advice,” with the sarcasm of the lyricism of the latter especially appealing.

However, the real gem is hidden almost at the end of the album; the penultimate track, “Confidence Plus One” is an epic, drawing in a soundscape like that of Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters”, before exploding into a tuneful riot of all the best the band has to offer.

The only things that prevent the score from being higher are the never-ending gloom and the occasional sagging of the pace and momentum in the middle parts of the album, but it’s a great effort – their trajectory over the next few years will be interesting to watch.

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