Beyond the Neighbourhood

I think that the critical establishment has an irrational dislike for the band Athlete. Beyond the Neighbourhood is their third album and I don’t see how it can generate such hatred. Especially as non-music-critics actually DO like it: Athlete have shifted units without heavy promotion or tabloid bluster. But their reviews are terrible: have a look at review compiler Metacritic’s rating. I suppose my soft spot for Athlete could be equally irrational: I drive through their area in Deptford each morning and can’t help but admire them for sticking around and building their studio there rather than following every other successful London musician to cosy Primrose Hill or cooler-than-thou Camden. The fact remains that these are tunes which offer interesting and unassuming little sketches of the hopes, fears and jolts of happiness everyone round here feels. They just don’t write it on the album cover like Keane did. And something about Joel Potts’ delivery makes repetition of lines like, “I’m away with the fairies” or “I wanna take you home with me tonight” forgiveable and endearing. The songs reliably make you smile. I’ll pay eight quid for that any day.