Anyone who saw my review of A&A's debut "We Don't Need To Whisper" back in 2006 will probably be surprised to see my name at the helm for this review, given the shambolic mess that constituted that album scored a ground breaking 0/10, and is still a record that stands out for all the wrong reasons (mainly the sheer arrogance of the main protagonist (DeLonge) and its musical awfulness!).

Has Mr. Delonge taken on board this critics assessment and made amends this time around? Sort of, given that this time he at least remembered to include some actual songs and not just the aimless meanderings that comprised the debut. I Empire is still immersed in the mid to late 80's U2 that "We Don't Need To Whisper" was in thrall to but the songs are in the main much more focused and up-tempo, to much better effect.

All we need now is for the band to lose the cringe worthy lyrics. "Breathe", for example, has some true classics delivered over the arrangement from U2's "A Sort Of Homecoming" and the excessive use of delay effects and in their place include more up-tempo tracks in the style of "Rite Of Spring" and "Heaven". The former has an honest and autobiographical lyric and both are driven by some urgent drumming and a dryer guitar sound which are very evocative of New Order circa "Power Corruption & Lies" in fact and are all the better for this.

If you ignore that "Unforgettable Fire" and "Joshua Tree" riffs pop up all over the place, and that Matt Wachter has stolen the bass line from The Cures "Close To You" for "Everything's Magic",  A&A have released an album that at least bears out repeated listens and you actually find yourself tapping your foot/nodding your head to. In fact, you know what, it's actually alright! Not great, not even particularly good in places but by no means the train wreck I was expecting and there's even a possibility that, based on the development shown here, album number three could be a corker. Really!!

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Track Listing

Call To Arms
Everything's Magic
Breathe
Love Like Rockets
Sirens
Secret Crowds
Star Of Bethlehem
True Love
Lifeline
Jumping Rooftops
Rite Of Spring
Heaven
It Hurts

Line Up

Tom DeLonge - Vocals
David Kennedy - Guitars
Matt Wachter - Bass
Atom Willard - Drums