Wild Beasts / Present Tense
Album: Present Tense   Collection:General
Artist:Wild Beasts   Added:Mar 2014
Label:Domino  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2014-03-21 Pull Date: 2014-05-23
Week Ending: May 25 May 18 May 11 May 4 Apr 27 Apr 20 Apr 13 Apr 6
Airplays: 2 1 4 3 3 2 4 2

Recent Airplay
1. Dec 17, 2023: Eclectic Circus
Daughters
4. May 21, 2014: Meow After Midnight
Wanderlust, Wanderlust
2. Dec 12, 2023: Eclectic Circus
Nature Boy
5. May 20, 2014: A-Philiac
Mecca
3. Jun 06, 2014: A Visit From Drum (Best of 2014)
A Simple Beautiful Truth
6. May 16, 2014: A Visit From Drum
Daughters

Album Review
Graham Anderson
Reviewed 2014-03-20
Wild Beasts / Present Tense / Domino

Emotive synth pop

A darkly orchestrated hook-heavy synth piece of beauty. Many songs rely on similar instrumental voices, but the atmosphere these create is dreadful and beautiful. Vox includes a rare baritone, leading us deep into dystopia. Draws from electronic rock tropes and delivers some despairing, fragile, gorgeous perspectives.

RIYL: Antlers, Grizzly Bear, Local Natives, Perfume Genius

no FCCs

1. 4:55 synth bass, e-chorus, polyrhythmic beat and Costello-esque vox, atmospheric synth solo, Radiohead-like skipping tape outro
2. 3:33 * Hand-drum beat, anxious baritone vox, synth bass and treble riffs, e-chorus, all makes for something like Kid A crossed with the Magnetic Fields, very nice
3. 3:45 ** Intro sparse and tense, builds to a more fleshed-out and memorable hook. Tentative guitar, synth pads, and Morrisey-esque vox make a dystopic and beautiful feel. Longing and ruined plans. Highly recommended.
4. 3:59 Polyrhythm guitar over New Wave drum and synth beat, bad 80’s sci-fi effect solo, staccato tenor vox, beat gets deconstructed and built up again for a lush finish.
5. 4:47 Mood organ drone with synth shaker and baritone chant-like vox. Tenor vox for backup vocals on a despairing hook. Vibraphone and reverb synth hits make an appearance for futuristic noir.
6. 3:09 Lullaby intro, tenor vox, piano + guitar music-box-like backing. Ballad-beat moving chorus, humming verse and dramatic finish.
7. 2:36 * Hook-heavy New Wave tenor vox with synth bells and pipe organ, staccato rhythm section, stuck-record woodwind finish. Too short!
8. 3:21 * Acoustic kit intro, Kid – A-like atmospheric synth with despairing noise and starter-gun like 2&4 beat. Arpeggio guitar and haunting husky vox.
9. 2:57 Funk bass and muted guitar, hand drum, simple beat and piano comping with riffing tenor vox for a new take on Disco/funk groove
10. 4:37 Dissonant synth drone, bass synth pads, baritone croons in short melodic phrases, fall asleep to it and dream darkly
11. 3:20 80’s pop synth arpeggio and piano riff, a bright and clear tenor vox, emotional nostalgic pop, LP hiss outro
Graham Anderson

Track Listing
1. Wanderlust   7. A Simple Beautiful Truth
2. Nature Boy   8. A Dog's Life
3. Mecca   9. Past Perfect
4. Sweet Spot   10. New Life
5. Daughters   11. Palace
6. Pregnant Pause   .