For a bunch of youngsters, average age of only 20, Leicester’s very own Kyte
release an album way beyond their years.
This seven-tracker debut bodes well for the future. Their melodic template
guarantees instant appeal across all ages, which a pretty good sign.
Planet (released as a 7” single on Sonic Cathedral) is a deft, if somewhat
over-indulgent, soft rock ballad that introduces their undisputed musical
credentials with soaring vocals and a kind of musical backdrop that brought
Coldplay much attention early on. Hushed vocals and jangly guitar texturise the
floaty Boundaries, which has already been used on a nationally aired advert for
the Sopranos on HBO – some feat for an unknown band.
Iceland’s Sigur Ros come to mind when hearing Secular Ventures, a shifting-synth
based ballad that ambles along, punctuated by some stylish drumming. Again Sigur
Ros’ quirky glacial landscapes feature heavily on the beautiful Sunlight,
a track that would have benefited from a monstrous crescendo. Home takes time
to get going. When it does, it’s pleasant enough an instrumental, but not
particularly memorable either.
They Won’t Sleep would have shone brighter with some kind of dynamic or
hook to keep us interested above its one dimensional quality. It’s almost two
minutes before rambling These Tales Of Our Stay actually gets anywhere and
then its very much a damp squib.
It took some time for Sigur Ros to get going, so with time on their side,
Kyte might just fly one day.
DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TXW32R4 32" widescreen TV
connected to either a Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player or Microsoft Xbox and
played through a Sony STR-DB930 amplifier.
PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
Since Nov 2005: Intel Pentium D 830 3.0Ghz, 1Gb RAM, 128Mb nVidia GeForce 6700XL, Windows XP
Since Aug 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.66Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb GeForce4 MX440 graphics, Windows XP
Since May 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.6Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb ATI Radeon 9600TX graphics, Windows XP
Since Jun 2002: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, 64Mb ATI Radeon 8500LE
Since May 2000: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, Voodoo 3 3000 AGP
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2008.
