Uber Cool Brit Pop That Rivals Its Roots
author: Michael Canter
The term Britpop is one of those slightly nondescript terms coined by some laconic British music journalist in an attempt to define a key moment during a transitional period of U.K. based rock and pop. It happens all the time, really. Think grunge, punk, electronica and trip-hop - all offshoots of defined genres. The terms are endless and coined as a result of critics and fans scrambling to sub-define and culture the music they love. Nonetheless, Brit-pop, which emerged from the Manchester pop music explosion of the mid-eighties, is defined as pop music with a decidedly British slant to it. That\'s where Exceptional Edward fits in.
Influenced by such contemporaries as Oasis, The Verve and Radiohead, with perhaps a little Death Cab For Cutie mixed in, Exceptional Edward has hit its collective stride with the release of \"Lost At Sea\". The song that first caught my attention is \"Home\", a judicious intersection of infectious, searing guitars and sentimental vocals that leads to a stunningly breathtaking crescendo - I could only imagine how amazing it would be to hear this song performed live. That being said, the entire CD is brilliantly memorable, featuring a number of intelligent, sweeping epics and catchy singles. Indeed, Exceptional Edward covers the entire Brit-Pop spectrum: anthemic (\"Good People\"); enigmatic (\"Never Come Down\"); intoxicating (\"Home\"); atmospheric (\"Buried By Gray\") and hypnotic (\"The Sea Captain\").
\"Lost At Sea\" makes an indelible imprint on the Brit-Pop genre that is decidedly American, and cements their place in a resurgence of that movement. In fact, the song \"Good People\" stands shoulder-to-shoulder with any of the previous efforts that influenced Exceptional Edward\'s sound. The whole disc has a seminal, uber-cool feel to it that is reminiscent of the richly-textured, ethereal debut release by The Verve, \"A Storm In Heaven\",which tops my list as the Best Of Brit Sound.
I dare you to try and listen to this disc just once (you won\'t be able to). Yes, it\'s that hypnotically entrancing. In fact, I may break out The La\'s, Radiohead, Oasis, The Verve, K.L.F. and Exceptional Edward\'s \"Lost At Sea\" and have my very own Brit Sound Saturday Night.
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