The Nine

"Dreamland" (Album, 2001)

The title track from this 2001 album for me sums up all that is The Nine. It's catchy, synth driven pop but with a rock styling that touches on Depeche Mode's harder guitar based work. I can even hear shades of INXS in there - particularly in Geoff Pinckney's vocals and the production.

Released at the time they started to break through not only on the UK live scene but overseas too. The music is perfectly suited to much of underground Europe and that this was released by US-based label A Different Drum comes as no surprise either. Unlike many other bands that these are often compared with, The Nine never attempt to suppress their guitars. They simply go with what works best for the song. Dreamland, Control and Rage are all readily faimiliar, solid entries that stretch the synth pop genre beyond its usually well-drawn, predictable edges. And that's just the first three songs on the album. This is broad enough to break through to the mainstream, but as of 2005 they still haven't. Fans of Mesh, Beborn Beton etcetera should take to this with ease. 6/10

Rob Dyer (February, 2005)