Biffy Clyro - The Myth Of The Happily Ever After

That Biffy Clyro’s ninth studio album proper arrives billed as a sister album to 2020’s ‘A Celebration Of Endings’ carries the risk of doing it a disservice. Far from a collection of previously disregarded material, ‘The Myth Of The Happily Ever After’ is no mere afterthought. In part a completion of unfinished concepts, and in part deliberately crafted new tracks, the record presents the Scottish stadium fillers at their most free flowing. With that, Biffy Clyro fully embrace the epic and grandiose, which is largely what they do best. Vocalist Simon Neil has already described the record as an “emotional response to the turmoil of the past year.” Unable to tour, and with itchy creative fingers, ‘The Myth…’ combines this urgency with abundant creative freedom. It’s evident in the musical expanse of ‘Separate Missions’, the understated frivolity of ‘Haru Urara’, and the affirming balladry of ‘Existed’. The impact of the pandemic plays out in the immediacy of rousing opener ‘DumDum’, and the punch of ‘Errors In The History Of God’. Biffy have taken turmoil and constructed a collection of eleven tracks that brilliantly capture the turbulence and dysfunction of the past eighteen months. In removing creative restrictions and stepping away from the technical in favour of emotion, ‘The Myth…’ balances perfectly between loss and hope. “We all get it wrong sometimes,” the frontman notes on ‘Existed’, “doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.” On closer ‘Slurpy Slurpy Sleep Sleep’ he implores listeners to embrace love and friendship before it’s too late. It’s the biggest lesson learned - life is too short to waste time. ‘The Myth…’ expands from this vital message, allowing the record to emerge as Biffy Clyro’s most emotionally powerful in years.