Ed Nash’s Toothless is toothless, lifeless and more [Review]
Toothless is the new solo project by Bombay Bicycle Club bassist Ed Nash. His debut album The Pace Of The Passingis, he says, the album he’d always wanted to make.
Opener Charon instantly recycles Bombay Bicycle Club ideas with looped samples, clean picking guitars and breath-like vocals.This continues in Sisyphus, with its gritty delivery, and upbeat xylophones.
Elsewhere, You Thought I Was Your Friend sounds like a B-side from BBC’s A Different Kind Of Fix, while The Sun’s Midlife Crisis could easily slot into their 2010, folk-led album, Flaws.
Palm’s Backside is the standout track, thanks to its melancholic vibe and vocal refrains, “But you look happier” and “I’ll find a new heart” cutting through.
Although there are plenty of catchy pop melodies, it becomes clear that each track suffers from the same muddy mix, making them feel flat and relatively forgettable. While nothing is actually “bad”, there isn’t anything new or exciting either. Forget “Toothless”; the album is little more than lifeless.