Album Details

• Artist: Switch Flicker
• Album: Charlatans And Hypnotists
• Label: Indie
• Year of Release: 2007
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: hstisgod on 2007-07-06

Where do you draw the line between traditional pop, and diversified Alt-Pop. The, UK's Switch Flicker is where you draw the line, and Charlatans and Hypnotists is the result of that line.  No this album isn't dripping in Power Slop chords that are so eagerly eaten up by the industry today.  It's plain 'ole rock and roll, and perhaps it is the only weakness.

    The entire album lives and breathes in professional songwriting and effort, but to say it shines in a unique genre all on its own would be a lie.  At times you'll get an OLD school Reznor feel, and not in the dark industrial metal mindset.  Think more in the days of Pretty Hate Machine when the sound board beats lead the way for the instrumentation.  No track is more evident of this sound than the lead track Show Me An Avenue. 

 Let me reitterate, that's not to say lead man Neil Vogler has that raspy yet grungy Reznor type pipes.  His vocals, fairly unique, and overall vibe with the sound follow more down the path of a neo Roxette.  At this point, See Around Corners probably has my push for best single track.  A moody little number, where Vogler shows a bit of range, and mixes it up nicely to make for a dark but upbeat piece of music. Window of Opportunity starts off similiar to European rockers U2 when vogler lets out a belt similiar to that of Bono, and the chord progression cotinues on in full with a slight acoustic stride.

   No it's not the Switch Flicker you know and like I said, not exactly the sound of today. However, absolutely an album with no designs on satisfying anyone but themselves and in today's day and age of recording, that's a rare quality.

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