Album Reports: Olly Alexander – Polari and Inhalator – Open Wide

On By Littum

Olly Alexander – Polari

★★ TAKE

It is weird to consider Polari Like Olly Alexander’s debut -solo album, but also the latest career step for the previous years and the front man of the year. After first rising to fame with the band behind 2015’s synth-pop hits “King” and “Shine”, he officially trenched the moniker last year, and now we’re here.

Alexander’s career arch has been mildly uneven. In the midst of the split from his bandmates he found critical recognition as protagonist Ritchie in Russell T Davies’ Wonderful Channel 4 drama It’s a sin, After he previously has deep with minor roles in shows such as Skins, The brilliant Keats Biopic Bright Star and Jack Blacks Flop in 2010 Gulliver’s Travel.

His music projects have been more scattered. Years and years of third and last album Night call -Presigned without co-founders Mikey Goldsworthy and Emre Türkmen-Kunne not match the success of his predecessor. Meanwhile, his tapper landed attempted Eurovision with a single “dizzy” UK in 18th place in the midst of controversy about the presence of Israel in the annual singing competition.

When it comes to Polari, Alexander has the basis for some good ideas, but lacks conviction to carry it off. Occasionally (and similar Night call), it feels like he is grabbing the kind of queer-centered alt-pop or R&B, such as perfume genius, Serpentwithfeet and Christine and Queens are distinguished by the in-your-face brashness of Charli XCX. More often than not stumbling this record at the first obstacle.

Produced by PC Music’s Danny L Harle (Dua Lipa, Liam Gallagher), it has all the ingredients you would expect on a four-affected plate, with synths that alternately sting, hum and scattered in respect of pioneers as an animal shop and boys and Deleting. It’s Pastiche, a Faraga of half-baked ideas that even twisted into the Noughties Club territory occasionally, suggesting that Alexander and Harle are undergoing a checklist instead of performing any clear artistic vision.

Also, with his songwriting, he quails when he approaches themes of closed sex, longing, sexual excitement and loneliness in the gay community. The album is named after the language created by bits of Italian, Romani, Cockney Rhyming Slang and Yiddish, used by travel underholders in the 19th century and later adopted by gay men around the fifties and sixties. All topics that should buckle, but in Alexander’s hands, manage to sound pretty boring. There is an endeavor on storytelling about Vince Clarke-produced “Make Me A Man”, delivered over a buzzy electronic beat and two acoustic guitar riffs. However, the overall effect is more related with steps ‘5, 6, 7, 8’ thrown into a blender with “Freedom!” By George Michael than Clarkes more experimental productions.

Olly Alexander in a press shot for his new album, 'Polari'

Olly Alexander in a press shot for his new album, ‘Polari’ (Polydor Records/Press?

Elsewhere I am desperate for more insight than we hear on the individual “Coupid’s Bow” on which he sings, “You have done something to me/ and I love the way it feels/ but maybe I just don’t know what I want to Have. And then fu-glem about me ”), but still he is so fixed on the title refrain, it sounds like he’s stuck at repetition. Polari is brash and bold on the surface, but Alexander Flails when searching for something that is really in -depth to say.

Inhalator – Open wide

★★★★ ending

The musical Nepo -Baby can only get so far without talent or driving force. The inhalator frontman Elijah Hewson, son of U2’s Bono, is still here and releases his third and most satisfactory album with the Dublin-formed band is enough proof, so he has plenty of both.

Inhalator has come with a self -assured third album

Inhalator has come with a self -assured third album (Lewis Evans?

Open wide is actually full of ambitions hovering with smooth-sounding hymns that are ripe for a lot of Singalong. “Billy (Yeah Yeah Yeah)” cruises along a summery guitargroove and rippling percussion, backed by lovely harmonies and Hewson’s reverb-soft croon. “Although it” exposes a dark, spire-inspired bass line, while the singer adopts a Robert Smith feature. “Your house” hums with paranoia as it explores the compulsive nature of young love.

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In a recent conversation with The independent, Hewson said this record reflects what he is dubering about his quarter life crisis as he begins to consider previous decisions, both good and bad. “Again” struggles with the notion of parenting, written from a person who lives in Rock’n’roll Neverland.

The opener “Eddie in the Darkness” usually carries around a piano motif before flailing into the choir as its title character stumbles through the emptying of columns. Our review of the inhaler’s debut from 2021 complained that it leaned too strongly on lyrical cliches and the classic rockers of old. Open wide melts the youth to the youth with the attitude that comes from experience. It’s the sound of a band that has really come to their own.