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The fourth release from Scotland experimental rockers Aereogramme may initially surprise those who have appreciated the group's evolution thus far. My Heart Has a Wish That You Would Not Go is principally more accessible than 2006's moody, albeit superb, Seclusion - nearly returning to the disposition of the lighter sections of A Story in White. The difference is that the disposition is now equally matched with a lighter and gentle timbre. Their distinctive emotional performance obviously benefits from the improved skills of the group. Craig B strikingly exceeds his performances on previous efforts, easing the increased presence of swirling accompanying instrumentation. His voice is no longer buried underneath layer after layer of thick distortion and anger. Rather, it shines as the centerpiece of every song. A perfect example of this is the stand-out "Conscious Life For Coma Boy," where B remains equally powerful while the composition shifts from slow-tempo and string-driven to an intense blast of thick guitars. This is especially amazing considering that this decision grew out of a "brutal" throat infection in 2005 that essentially determined that B would no longer be able to reproduce the same screams heard on previous efforts. Yet, the vocals are not the only piece of the compositions that has changed timbre. The appearance of tracks like the peaceful "Exits" and the dark "Living Backwards" on the same release has only seemed to encourage those who have argued that Aereogramme's biggest flaw is their confusion as to which direction to take their music. However, it cannot be understated how successfully they're able to pull off this multitude of directions. Ultimately there are enough powerful tracks like "The Running Man," one of the best tracks of their entire discography, to distract listeners from questioning whether this is the same Aereogramme that performed on Seclusion. Additionally, Craig B's accomplishment in redefining his vocal approach - however slight it may be - is sure to appeal to both current and future listeners of Aereogramme.

Aereogramme at Amazon & Insound