The Wedding Present – Search For Paradise / 2006 Manifesto / 14 Tracks / http://www.westnet.com/weddoes / http://www.manifesto.com / Reviewed 27 June 2006

When I first got this album, I could have sworn that The Wedding Present was going to be an emo band. When I flipped the disc over, I learned that The Wedding Present was on Manifesto, a label best known for putting out all the re-releases of the Dead Kennedy’s collection. Rather, the style of music that The Wedding Present plays is something that is much more thought out and in the vein of the indie rock pushed forth by acts like Blur and Interpol. Each of the songs on “Search For Paradise” continue down this path, with the production of songs like “Bad Thing” pushing further into the New Romantic sound of a prior period.

The songs on “Search For Paradise” are all the same type of radio-ready indie rock, something that resides in the middle of Coldplay and Intepol, and something that is compelling and intense without being rough or unhewn. “Search For Paradise” includes a bonus DVD in its package; individuals that listen to this CD and want more in the way of The Wedding Present can just put in this DVD and be taken away into a whole entire realm of visual accompaniment. Something that individuals should understand about The Wedding Present is that their songs all are drawn forward by the use of a myriad of prior styles. Besides the New Romantic-infused songs of prior tracks on “Search For Paradise”, hints of acts like The Beatles and The Kinks can be heard front and center on each track that The Wedding Present cuts. “Snapshots” is a track that blasts past the normal runtime given to a track, but the steady hand of The Wedding Present creates more than enough in the way of material for individuals to glom onto. The tracks are not raging against the machine, but most tend to slink around in a very sultry way; The Wedding Present come time and time again with their distinct brand of pop.

The Wedding Present were on the sidelines for a long time in the last few years, so to hear this refreshed act come through with such an unqualified success is heartening to any band that is currently looking to reform. Here’s to hoping some more smart pop comes forth from the mouths and hands of The Wedding Present in the years to come; individuals may have forgotten about them, but this is a tremendous reminded about how impressive they once were and now are.

Top Tracks: I’m From Further North Than You, Snapshots

Rating: 6.6/10

[JMcQ]