Biffy Clyro - 'Singles 2001-2005' (Beggars Banquet) Released 07/07/08

Before signing to 14th Floor Records for the release of their fourth album ‘Puzzle’, Biffy Clyro were, respectively, shadows haunting the basements of independent record label Beggars Banquet, surviving on hearsay and the word-of-mouth aesthetic of an ever-increasing fan base that indulged in prophesying their future success. The achievements that were attained from their major label backing are undeniable: ‘Puzzle’ reached number one in the UK album charts and the band reaped the rewards of worldwide acclaim with a succession of support slots with the likes of The Who, Rolling Stones and Muse.

However, life was not all bad in the minor leagues: Biffy roughed it out, earned their keep and crafted their art as illustrated in their latest release, ‘Singles 2001-2005’ (released on July 7th on Beggars Banquet), a selection of personally handpicked singles from their pre-luminary days. ‘Singles…’ adds as a concise retrospective of their earlier work as one of Britain’s aspiring underground talents. Their dexterous ability to do away with traditional time signatures has lead to an idiosyncratic orchestration of tracks that stutter and stumble capriciously between slow/fast, heavy/harmonious.

Their complex and interwoven structures of interchanging riffs and vocal melodies throughout each track have a surprising fluidity and grace about them – similar to that of a baton being passed between a jacked-up 4x100m Olympic team, they are volatile and vigorous. With the early day cadence of the affecting ‘57’ and ‘Justboy’, to the calculated ingenuity and gritty scores of the latter ‘Toys, Toys, Toys, Choke, Toys, Toys’ and ‘Eradicate The Doubt’, Biffy Clyro have show multiplicity in writing tracks opulent in purity and divine innovation.

Their ability to shift dynamics, pace and influences with a propensity akin to the likes of The Pixies and Fungazi, Biffy Clyro make for an extremely compelling listen: the disjointed syncopation of altered rhythms of the aptly titled ‘Glitter And Trauma’; the radio-friendly captivities and stadium invading chorus of ‘Questions and Answers’; and ‘There’s No Such Thing As A Jaggy Snake’ undulating with a detached beauty of hardcore aggression and cathartic vocal strides, go to show that this “Best Of” illustrates that their road well travelled lead to reverence that was merited with their recent successes, and the supposition of greater things to come.

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