Thirteen Senses Album: «Contact (Chi)»

- Customers rating: (4.8 of 5)
- Title:Contact (Chi)
- Release date:2007-05-28
- Type:Audio CD
- Label:Universal Int'l
- UPC:602517324923
- 1 Contactimg 3:41
- 2 All The Love In Your Handsimg 3:55
- 3 Animalimg 4:01
- 4 Call Someoneimg 3:59
- 5 Follow Meimg 3:16
- 6Lot of Silence Here
- 7 Spiralsimg 4:20
- 8 Talking To Sirensimg 4:02
- 9 Under The Sunimg 4:36
- 10 Sparkimg 4:12
- 11 Ones & Zerosimg 3:50
Do yourself a favour and go out and get your hands on this album now! You won't regret it. It's criminal how this band has to date flown under the radar. They deserve an audience. The Coldplay comparisons are enivitable but these comparisons are as flattering to Coldplay (and I'm a huge Coldplay fan) as they are to Thirteen Senses. This is an outstanding album from start to finish that demands repeated listenings. I've had it on in the car on heavy rotation for months now and there are five of their songs (including some from the equally outstanding first album, The Invitation) in the top ten most played songs on my ipod. My personal favourites from both albums include Thru the Glass, Into the Fire, Follow me, Contact and Ones & Zeros. Brilliant first two albums from a band I'm hoping to hear a lot more from.
BUY IT NOW. If you just heard about this band and you are a fan of Britpop such as Coldplay,Keane,Travis,Embrace or Snow Patrol. This is not just a band who follow the footstep of above list, they have very much of their own fanstastic talent (much more than some bands i've mentioned). After you've purchased and loved it then please go forward to their 1st album 'the invitation'.
13 Senses gets a lot of spin time in my CD players these days. Although "Contact" is not quite as entertaining as "The Invitation" it is a solid sophomore effort. "Contact" doesn't have stand out tunes like "Into the Fire" and "Thru the Glass" from their debut album but there are some excellent tunes that grow on you with each additional listening. The title track, "All the Love in Your Hands", and "Follow Me" are my personal favorites. The latter 2 are primarily guitar based and have driving beats. "Talking to Sirens" is another gleeful song and "Call Someone" is a lovely tune with acoustic guitar accompaniment. Much of the album still relies on keyboard work and the distinctive and dominant voice of Will South. However, towards the end of the album the songs tend to blend together without much distinction. If you haven't listened to 13 Senses yet, I highly recommend purchasing "The Invitation". If you are hooked, then you will need more. "Contact" will not disappoint but it does not rate a 5 star ranking (like Coldplay's "A Rush of Blood to the Head").
The Invitation (2005) was fine, but a bit unfocused. Contact displays a confident band with strong, clean songs that it knows exactly how to perform. Spirals is the best track, but there isn't one filler song on the album.
Inevitably, Thirteen Senses will be compared to other pop rock bands. Fair enough, but I hear more Al Stewart and Elton John than Cold Play.