The band's youthful energy (their average age at the time was 21) explodes thunderously as colossal choruses fall unfailingly into place. Every space is filled, tension bristling achingly in Adam Thompson's vocal delivery as the rest of the band crashes around him with a perfect balance of force and harmony. The romanticism and accessibility of a pure pop sensibility is never hidden too deep. Both 'Roll Up Your Sleeves' and 'Quiet Little Voices' capture this beautifully and immediately. The product of Ken Thomas' (Sigur Ros, Cocteau Twins, David Bowie etc.) studio mastery and Peter Katis' (Frightened Rabbit, The Twilight Sad, The National etc.) mixing, the recording of 'These Four Walls' was almost entirely live, with only minimal overdubs, and the band members' collected passion and intuition is translated into a pure, precise form, at once powerful and delicate. We Were Promised Jetpacks' 'These Four Walls' signifies a debut album that has the sort of peerlessness and potential to stand as a mainstay and luminary of indie music in the 21st century.
Track Listing:
1. It's Thunder and It's Lightning - We Were Promised Jetpacks
2. Ships With Holes Will Sink - We Were Promised Jetpacks
3. Roll Up Your Sleeves - We Were Promised Jetpacks
4. Conductor - We Were Promised Jetpacks
5. A Half Built House - We Were Promised Jetpacks
6. This Is My House, This Is My Home - We Were Promised Jetpacks
7. Quiet Little Voices - We Were Promised Jetpacks
8. Moving Clocks Run Slow - We Were Promised Jetpacks
9. Short Bursts - We Were Promised Jetpacks
10. Keeping Warm - We Were Promised Jetpacks
11. An Almighty Thud - We Were Promised Jetpacks
Year of Production: 2009
