Album Review: Arrows - 'Try And Stay Upright'

10 October 2010 | 6:07 pm | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

Awesome from start to finish.

When Arrows released their debut album “Modern Art And Politics” back in 2008, it made quite a wave both here in Australia and overseas, leading it to be an easy inclusion in countless “best of” lists for that year. Two years on the band has dropped another bomb on us, this time in the form of six new tracks, titled “Try And Stay Upright”.


The anticipation for this new record has been extremely high ever since the band’s label Hobbledehoy Records posted a video teaser with a section the opening track “What Happens At A Gifthorse Show”. The wait for the entire album was definitely worth it, as this album certainly doesn’t disappoint.


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What Happens At A Gifthorse Show” starts off with a long relaxing intro before blistering into the brilliance that is the main part of the song. One of the main things that have me hooked on Arrows is front man Anthony Morgan’s warm, enticing vocals, which draw you into the song and maintains your attention until the record has finished. The following track “Calling Your Sponsor” will be appealing to fans of 90’s emo acts. I can picture this song sounding fantastic in a live setting, fingers crossed that I get to experience that soon.


The title track showcases near four minutes of piano and Morgan’s vocals, which is a relaxing and pleasurable listening experience, before the drums are added to send it out. “Always With The Leaving” is the longest track on the record, clocking in at just over six minutes. Any band that can hold my full attention and keep things interesting for that long is definitely doing something right. Arrows are definitely a band that knows how to write a good song.


The final two tracks of the record, “Of Bordeaux And Burgundy” and “No Prizes For Pioneering” send the record out in fantastic form. The build up to the final moments in “Of Bordeaux And Burgundy” is phenomenal, which could have easily ended the record and I would’ve been happy. Fortunately for us Arrows decided against that and delivered another track for us to enjoy. “No Prizes For Pioneering” produces everything that I have grown to enjoy about Arrows in the space of three and a half minutes. A powerful ending to an already great record.

Arrows have maintained their position as one of the best bands this country has to offer, and it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the world catches on. This record is one that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

1. What Happens At A Gifthorse Show

2. Calling Your Sponsor

3. Try And Stay Upright

4. Always With The Leaving

5. Of Bordeaux And Burgundy

6. No Prizes For Pioneering