The Fountain

Band/artist: Echo and the Bunnymen
Label: My World Records/Inertia
Website: bunnymen.com

Echo plays it safe with mixed results

The Fountain will not be hailed as the next great classic from Echo and the Bunnymen, but overall it will please their large legion of fans with its carefree attitude and Brit pop melodies.

The record is their fifth since the band’s reunion and it has a very upbeat and safe sound. This works on some tracks like the the first single "I Think I Need It Too", which is staple Echo and on the more surprising piano-driven "Proxy" but it can also sound repetitious on the title track and the retreaded ground called "Do You Know Who I Am?".

For bands that have had a lengthy career like Echo, this caveat can be easy to fall into and especially for a band that has emerged much sunnier on their reunion, compared to their much darker and classic early material. For better or worse, this simply is where the band is right now.

Some disappointment will set in for those hoping Echo's earlier spirit has risen again on The Fountain but on the upside, Ian McCulloch has never sounded better and if you are looking for a reliable Brit pop rock album then the boys from Liverpool can still deliver.

Christopher Anthony

For more of Christopher Anthony's music reviews, check out The Fire Note