Windmill / Puddle City Racing Lights
Album: Puddle City Racing Lights   Collection:General
Artist:Windmill   Added:Jul 2008
Label:Friendly Fire Recordings  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2008-12-14 Pull Date: 2009-02-15
Week Ending: Jan 11
Airplays: 1

Recent Airplay
1. Jan 16, 2010: Music Casserole
Racing
2. Jan 08, 2009: Power Hour
Asthmatic

Album Review
Craig Matsumoto
Reviewed 2008-11-30
Piano-based singer/songwriter fare. At its best, it's got the sound of a downcast Polyphonic Spree trying to cheer itself up. (2,3,5,7). At its worst, it's heavy with self-seriousness, just this side of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" territory. Squeaky-high male vocals make many tracks hard to take seriously, and the lyrics are only one shade above high-school poetry. Could be used for a mellow break in any pop show, although the heavyhandedness could bring your pacing to a dead halt.

Matthew Thomas Dillon, the UK-based singer who's behind all this, seems like a nice enough, sensitive enough guy. But, even though he's 28, he comes across like a teenager trying real hard to sound all grown up. I found it unconvincing.

1- *FCC* in the spoken conclusion. Mid/fast, interesting spoken-word and choir additions. Anthemic chorus.
2- Heavy, sad airport-goodbye song.
3- Huge drums, some synth touches. Big, cathartic, after an ineffecive piano-figure intro.
4- *FCC* in the chorus. Dumb, dumb lyrics (Hint: Don't use the "Newsflash" expression if you're trying to sound serious and poetic.)
5- Cute chorus and synths. Big midtempo chorus.
6- Serious piano, nice crescendo
7- Huge commercial sound with choir; shades of Polyphonic Spree grandiosity.
8- Slow and sad; heavy on the strings
9- *FCC* nice intro though
10- Serious; emotional but overdone.
11- Nice big sound; whiny repetitious lyrics
12- *FCC*
13- Loud mid/fast, a bit of rock attitude. Faint, goofy intro.
14- Big powerful concluding track, huge epic sound.

Track Listing
1. Tokyo Moon   8. Fashion House
2. Boarding Lounges   9. Plasticine Plugs
3. Fluorescent Lights   10. Tilting Trains
4. Newsflash   11. Fit
5. Plastic Pre-Flight Seats   12. Replace Me
6. The Planning Stopped   13. Racing
7. Asthmatic   14. Shutters