Max Bloom - Pedestrian

When London shoegaze outfit Yuck formally announced their split in February of this year, frontman Max Bloom had already made strides in announcing himself as a solo artist. Debut ‘Perfume’, released last spring, showcased his more sensitive side, a far-cry from the bristly repertoire of his former band. Follow-up ‘Pedestrian’ continues this narrative of artistic regeneration. Released on his own Ultimate Blends, and accompanied by a collection of artworks and videos designed by Max himself, the album’s creation was also marked by a newfound love of running, a pastime to epitomise ‘getting your shit together’. ‘Pedestrian’ succeeds where Max combines his desire for more mature, melodic songwriting with vestiges of his plucky Yuck past. The skating arpeggios and silky acoustic drive of ‘Palindrome’ contains all the purity of a rushing summer’s breeze, while ‘Twenty-Two’ espouses a delightful ‘90s shoegaze dreaminess. Save these few gorgeous moments, the piano-clinking soft-rock departures which populate much of ‘Pedestrian’ bear the flavour of an artist making tentative steps towards a new musical vision not yet fully formed. Whimsical songs about stormy weather and journeying across the United States are sweet enough, but Max Bloom’s virtuous desire for simple arrangements and affected naivety is often to his detriment, sounding pedestrian at best.