Album Review: Kodaline – A Perfect World

There is nothing short of perfect when it comes to listening to A Perfect World  by Kodaline.  With the calm echoes of Stephen’s vocals and a band with a solid alternative rock sound, this album will not disappoint fans at the slightest. The Irish-Dublin quartet previously known as 21 Demands have introduced a wave of music that could be considered road-trip worthy. Music that can pinpoint any exact moment where you are feeling a sense of joy and euphoria. Each track eloquently flows within the album and this just proves that Kodaline have amazing potential after an impressive first release.

The album opens up with One Day  and this track immediately captures the attention of the listener. The lyrics have the purpose to inspire and the music that accompanies this song not only strengthens the raw alternative rock sound of Kodaline, but it shows that they want the listener to sit down and feel something magnificent, that there are many things in life that they should look forward to no matter what (‘And life passes you by/ Don’t be wasting your time/ On your own’).

All I Want is a melancholy love song. A song that explains that when it comes to love, there is also pain. You feel so connected with someone that you have no care in the world how much they hurt you. The love that you feel for them is indescribable. A consuming, obsessive kind of desire where you feel like they complete you (‘So you brought out the best of me / A part of me I’ve never seen / You took my soul and wiped it clean / Our love was made for movie screens’).

Then comes Love Like This, a song with a happy-go-lucky feel as it incorporates the harmonica to good use. It contrasts from All I Want as the track describes acceptance that love has its boundaries and it’s not always set in stone (‘I don’t mind at all/ A love like this won’t last forever’).

A track that completely mesmerised me was High Hopes. This track is beautiful, combining soft acoustics and piano. The song starts slow at first but it unravels, introducing wonderful electric guitar solos, rhythmic drum beats and Stephen’s angelic vocals. A little treat that would be very much loved by any Kodaline fan as it showcases what the band do best.

Many have harshly criticised Kodaline’s A Perfect World but my ears have said otherwise. It’s quite clear-cut that Kodaline have worked hard on this release and have strengthened musically as a band. They have come a long way and for this to be their first release after a couple of EPs shows that they can persevere and prove they have what it takes to release extraordinary music in the long run.

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Jana Angeles

::: Renowned For Sound Music Reviews ::: Jana is a 21-year old student currently based in Sydney, Australia. Writing for Renowned For Sound has given her the opportunity to take a break from her university degree and job by being able to write what she is most passionate about – music.
Since the day she got her first iPod and a broadband Internet connection, these two things have shaped her music taste till this present day.
With her love for pop punk, indie and alternative rock music, it’s no wonder she’s known to be that ‘go-to’ person when it came to finding incredible bands with amazing talent.
She believes that one of the best feelings in the world is to find a song that just clicks with you and from this day, she has never stopped believing in that.