Album Review: Hurts – Exile

To sum up Hurts in the most simple of terms, it would be: well groomed. Their explosion onto the Pop/Electronic crossover scene in 2010 presented us with two exceptionally good-looking individuals with a talent for writing a catchy hook on the synthesizer. It’s been three years since then, and now they’re back with ‘Exile’.

One thing that instantly becomes apparent is that the duo’s fine image hasn’t change one bit. The album cover looks like a photo shoot from some glossy fashion magazine, their videos are all slow-mo with some edgy theme, and their sound is big. Like really big. There’s an almost Coldplay-esc vibe throughout the record that would appear to fit well upon an epic stage. The only problem is that the songs just don’t quite impress you enough. It feels like they have stayed well within their comfort zone since the debut, and that hasn’t really done them any favors.

‘Blind’ creeps in with a memory of ‘Away From Here’ by The Enemy, whilst ‘The Road’ eerily creeps along, only to be slightly ruined by the sudden burst of a chorus that doesn’t quite slot into place.
Overall it’s a fairly dreary listen. If you’re a fan of Hurts, you’re likely to enjoy parts of the album, but I don’t see it having quite the same impact with new fans as their debut.

Click here for the latest News