Genre: Alternative Rock
A phenomenon straight from Scotland: Biffy Clyro. Starting out as your typical Nirvana-idolizing teenage garage punk band, they have developed into one of the most intriguing group of musicians. Simon Neil and the twin brothers, James and Ben Johnston, make up the wonder trio, which has been aroused from their unknown state to popularity among the people around the world.
Puzzle is Biffy's latest piece of music and it's the fourth album that the band has released during their 12 years of making music. After experiencing with lots of techniques on their previous albums (grunge, punk, etc.), they took the easy route when making Puzzle. One could say that the album is just made of generic, mainstream alternative rock with the basic post-grunge vocals and catchy tunes. By saying that the person would be absolutely correct. Puzzle is a lot easier to listen to than their previous albums (Blackened Sky being a slight exception) and the band went mainstream as of recent. It is a pity to see a good experimental-ish band convert into the music that every teenage girl could be listening to. The problem is that the album is incredible nonetheless.
The album consists of 13 tracks, of which quite a few were influenced by the vocalist's mother's death. The sadness creates an honest, melancholy feeling and the sorrow becomes almost visible. Luckily the band balanced out the sad, slower songs by adding catchy, rhythmic songs as well. So, whether you're looking for you're looking for the speed that the previous Biffy albums or songs to cry with, this album will satisfy your needs.
1. Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies - 5:18
Some people put the intro of this song in high regard but I can't manage to find out what the spectacle about it is. It's an attention-grabber though. The perfect way to start out an album is doing something extraordinary and string/choir arrangements in a rock song is definitely not your basic stuff.
First feeling after the loss of a close person is either anger or sadness. This song describes the anger part quite well. With an aggressive tempo and lyrics, the songs bursts out the feelings of this album. The lyrics are a good example of what Biffy does the best. They combine words that have meaning and are easy to follow.
8.5/10
2. Saturday Superhouse - 3:19
This song defines what the basic alternative rock that Biffy turned into is. Simon's voice is easy on the ears and the song progresses simply with a verse-chorus-verse -method. By including song like this, Biffy Clyro made sure that their popularity would soar in the skies.
I hate to admit it to myself that Saturday Superhouse is extremely average. The vocals are almost the only thing worthy of a mention on this track and the whole song is completely overshadowed by the previous one. It's more than usual that the second song is not as good as the opener but something above average would have been outstanding here.
7/10
3. Who's Got A Match? - 2:23
One thing I truly adore in their songs is the amount of decent wordplay. Puzzle features quite a few puns, which are moderately easy to spot. Although they are simple to find, they still give you that satisfied feeling of finding out something about a certain song.
Regardless of the wordplay, this song is fun to listen to. It may be a little too short and the simple guitar riff and lyrics make the track something you want to sing aloud. By being fun, the song demonstrates the happy aspect of this album. It doesn't sound like anything that special when compared to other music, but after you have listened to the slower songs, you will crave to go back to number three.
I'm on fire and I burn, burn, burn tonight.
9/10
4. As Dust Dances - 5:36
A sleepy riff and a melancholy voice telling about a man who sells bones is something that strikes me right in there. The symbolic lyrics and the story of not finding the right one grasp the listener's attention as the song slowly climbs towards its climax.
It's such a lonely ride.
This is that something that makes Puzzle an album worthy of listening. You can find new things during every listen.
The atmosphere changes three times during the song with the final change being after the actual song when 2/15ths(interesting addition to the album, which I will explain later) starts. Quiet piano sounds and ambient background noises create an absolute silence in your mind.
9/10
5. A Whole Child Ago - 3:07
The beginning sort of reminds me of Bloodhound Gang's Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo and the song progresses in a happy tune. The track keeps up really well with the previous songs on the album and keeps balancing the mood of the listener. Being nicely situated after a slow and sad track, A Whole Child Ago almost bring tears of joy into one's eyes.
8/10
6. The Conversation Is... - 3:40
Probably the greatest beginning in a song ever. Creates the feelings that you are going to hear some angry-ish music, but Simon's soft vocals kick in to change the atmosphere completely.
Other than that, the song doesn't exactly stand out in any other way. Being stuck as an average song among masterpieces, you can't really call it a bad song, but it definitely is overshadowed here.
7.5/10
7. Now I'm Everyone - 3:50
In my opinion, this song has the most effective guitar playing on the whole album. The riffs are nothing that outstanding but since Biffy isn't really your great guitar band, it's nice to hear a clear sound from a guitar.
Other than that, yet another average song. Layered vocals (all of the band members sing at different parts of the song) and your basic, catchy rhythm.
8/10
8. Semi-Mental - 4:07
Simon brings out his grunge-style vocals and the fast-paced song gets you on your feet again. Raging guitars and powerful lyrics demonstrate what Biffy used to be more like before Puzzle. This is a song that is much to my liking
After all of the rage of music, a quite piano enters the song. 4/15ths has began. Soft singing and absolute peace.
8.5/10
9. Love Has A Diameter - 3:53
I am out of words.
Even after that plethora of outstanding songs, Biffy Clyro surpasses all of my expectations for this whole album with just one song. Simon's crumbling voice is already enough to bring tears into one's eyes but the lyrics make this song what it is. Musically speaking, this song is nothing too mentionable, but the instruments only add the peaceful atmosphere around the singing.
Lyrical complexity makes an artist stand out whereas lyrical simplicity is what people remember and what they can relate to. Love Has A Diameter combines them both.
I'm watching the radio but it's the television looking at me.
This is Biffy Clyro at their best. Simple words, simple design, complicated meaning. Pointing out a part of song's lyrics is always hard because lyrics tend to have an individual meaning for everyone.
My love for this song does not have a diameter, no boundaries at all.
10/10
10. Get Fucked Stud - 3:37
The name of the song is something that will get attention. It doesn't ring a bell (probably) to anyone and finding out what's behind that title makes anyone curious.
This album needed power and the intro of Get Fucked Stud inserts some force into a musical piece of peace. The changes in the power in this song make feelings rise to the top of the wave and crash into the beach. The calm parts make you want to sway out of this world while you get a reality check when the guitars bash into your ears.
9/10
11. Folding Stars - 4:15
Folding Stars is a track that definitely deserves more than just one listen. It has all of the elements that a perfect Biffy song should have: layered vocals, addictive combination of drums and simple riffs and outstanding lyrics.
I doubt I can never understand what this song is actually about but it never seizes to amaze me. Every listen is like opening a book I've never read before: you know the basic outline by looking at the back cover, but you have no idea what the content will be like.
This track creates different kind of joy than what the happier tracks, like Who's Got A Match?, did. This joy is deeper than just a smile on your face.
10/10
12. 9/15ths - 2:46
We're on a hell slide...
Repeating the above with a choir, Simon Neil's vocals blend perfectly with the music.
This is the last part of the 15ths combination and it's an interesting concept in my opinion. Now you can connect the previous piano music and soft vocals to the climax of the 15ths. It doesn't really matter whether you listen to these parts as a whole or in separate pieces because you can hear the connection nonetheless and the song becomes whole.
9/10
13. Machines - 3:56
Machines may as well be the perfect way to conclude an album. Not only does this peaceful song leave your mind at rest, but it also sums up the theme of Puzzle. Simon Neil's loss is the most visible in this song. The music is fit for melancholia and grieving and the vocals are as shattered and sensitive as in Love Has A Diameter.
Lyrically Machines explains what the title of the album, Puzzle, actually means. They also tell how much Simon misses his mother. There aren't too many songs I manage to describe with the word 'beautiful', but Machines is almost impossible to explain with other words.
Take the pieces and build them skywards
10/10
Total score: 8.75/10
