The Research - 'Breaking Up' (At Large Recording) Released 27/02/06

Listening to ‘Breaking Up’ is a little like a seaside holiday. Initially, it’s a pleasant, sunny, saccharin-fuelled ride on a carousel at the fair. But inevitably, if you gorge yourself on candyfloss, and overstay your welcome on the waltzers, no matter how appealing it seems at the time, you end up feeling nauseous; craving for something a bit more substantial and a bit less sickly sweet.

Bass, drums and Casio keyboard is all very lo-fi, anti-guitar-trendy, but reveal their limitations all too quickly. Lyrically, it’s no great-shakes either - opening track ‘The Way You Used to Smile,’ is a whimsical vignette describing a relationship that goes awry when the guy spends more time on his music than with his lady…could’ve invested his five minutes more wisely than that! 

‘I love you…’ with it’s cowardice lyrics, “I love you, but I’m scared I’ll **** it up” encapsulates the sentiment of this whole album and this band – not courageous, no heart, no passion. The whole album smacks of too-sweet-to-be-wholesome. Frankly, it’s offensive in its ‘niceness’ and who needs that?

John McEntire’s involvement in the recording of The Research’s debut album is obvious, since the essence of Stereolab is more than prevalent. But whereas Stereolab are more Biarritz than Bognor - harnessing images of an altogether classier, more sophisticated continental sojourn, The Research takes you to a wet, windy weekend in Wakefield. A washout.