The Correspondents’ ‘Puppet Loosely Strung’ review
By Angela Espinoza, Columnist
4/5
London’s electronic duo the Correspondents released their debut album, Puppet Loosely Strung, on March 10. The album features 12 new songs, each tapping into their previously prevalent focus on swing. Mr. Bruce and DJ Chucks formed the Correspondents back in 2007 and released several singles and EPs, but none of their past singles made it onto the album.
Puppet Loosely Strung opens with the surprisingly lethargic “What Did I Do?” which leaves the listener unprepared for the following energetic dance tracks, “Fear & Delight” and “Give You Better,” which are two of the best tracks on the album.
While the music is infectious, it’s Bruce’s audacious vocals and swaggering personality that make the album such a treat to listen to. Bruce is known to dance wildly during live performances, an aspect we can definitely hear on the album.
There are calmer tracks, such as “Kind of Love” and “Devil’s Lighthouse,” but even those songs keep the beat going. “In the Meantime” stands as the one completely instrumental track, bridging “Kind of Love” and “Devil’s Lighthouse” together.
“Devil’s Lighthouse” is unfortunately the weakest song. While it is an otherwise solid track, the Correspondents’ unique sound seems replaced with a Franz Ferdinand-styled melancholy that stops it from living up to the rest of the album’s potential. “The Last Time” is a mishmash of styles, attempting to blend a slower Daft Punk-inspired mix with Bruce’s perhaps too-excited vocals.
Puppet Loosely Strung is a strong and excellent debut album for the indie duo. The combination of Chucks’ music and Bruce’s vocals, along with their standout lyrics, make Puppet Loosely Strung one of the best albums of the year.
