Track Listing

1. The Captain
2. That Golden Rule
3. Bubbles
4. God & Satan
5. Born On A Horse
6. Mountains
7. Shock Shock
8. Many Of Horror
9. Booooom, Blast & Ruin
10. Cloud Of Stink
11. Know Your Quarry
12. Whorses

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24 in Music
• Released on: 2009-11-09
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Only Revolutions, the fifth long-player from Biffy Clyro, is a far cry from this Ayr trio’s earlier, reliably embittered emissions. Long gone is the abrasive post-grunge that characterised albums like 2002’s The Vertigo Of Bliss, replaced by polished production, uplifting melodies and a grand, orchestral palette. This doesn’t meant Biffy have succumbed to the sort of blanding out that afflicts so many bands that clean up their act, though--indeed, in many ways they’ve become a more complex, idiosyncratic musical force, touting big anthems laced with creative eccentricity. The likes of "The Golden Rule" and "Born On A Horse" take their cue from Muse, fitting up songs with progressive twists and turns, not to mention some curiously elliptical wordplay. "I pronounce it aluminium/'Cause there’s an I next to the U and M", spits Simon Neil on the latter, over an offbeat keyboard groove. Elsewhere, "The Golden Rule" hitches hectic riffage and gang vocals to an unashamedly epic symphonic outro, while "Shock Shock" channels relationship angst into something cosmically terrifying: "You scratch and you scratch 'til your face comes away, replaced by a hole or a vortex", sings Neil, over an bracing barrage of guitars. --Louis Pattison

CD Description
Fifth album, following 2007's 'Puzzle', from the Scots progressive indie rockers. Here they forgo the overt commercialism of 'Puzzle' in favour of a return to their classic style welding emo-style structures to technically complex math- and jazzcore elements. Named for the novel by Mark Danielewski, produced once again by Garth Richardson (Gallows) and withstriking cover artwork shot by the legendary Storm Thorgerson, the album includes the singles 'Mountains', 'The Captain' and 'That Golden Rule'.

Customer Reviews

Strong, radio friendly, but not for all the fans.
Now I'm going to try and review this album in isolation. This is going to be really hard because I've been a fan of the Biffy for a long, long time and my internal fanboy is screaming to slate certain parts of this album, but I will resist until later.

This a strong rock album; much better than a lot of the dross that is currently circulating the Chart toilet bowl. It has catchy sing-a-long choruses and well written, memorable songs. As a snapshot of modern rock it's brilliant and shows that there can be still very eclectic side to rock music. This album firmly shows two fingers to all the Sassenach indie bands that are constantly farted out on Radio 1 playlists. For general fans of pop/rock music this is excellent and I fully recommend that you buy it if you're looking for something different.

Now for the fanboy review....
If you're looking for old Biffy then you're not going to find it here. This band has changed greatly since their first three albums. This radio friendly, slickly produced album continues and enlarges what Puzzle started with tracks like The Captain and Mountains being instant radio hits. If you're very open minded about this then you will be able to appreciate what's on here, but don't think you're going to get much of what was on Blackened Sky, The Vertigo of Bliss and Infinity Land. Admittedly, Biffy Clyro were a niche band; they had a small following and a very, very alternative sound, so this is them trying to broaden their appeal. It will not sit well with some of the old fans, but personally I can appreciate what they're trying to do. It's not my favourite album by a long shot, but it does show originality and spirit that is sadly lacking in current popular rock music.

Well i like it
There seems to be a big divide between the new fans and the old fans. The old fans are complaining about how Biffy has sold out, and after reading some of these fans opinions on this new album you would think that Biffy were making music like Nickleback or something. Which they aren't because this is still a pretty experimental album.

Yes the songs are no longer so complex, but this is where i really admire them. So many bands that call themselves experimental keep making the same album over and over and experiment in the same way. (Like Mars Volta for example). It would have been so easy for Biffy to continue making the same music with odd changes and such but i really think they took that as far as they could with The Vertigo of bliss and Infinity Land. So they decided to try something different and go in another direction.

But having said that i think this album is a good album rather then a great one. There are some great songs on there and some truly moving big choruses ( Like "Bubbles and Shock Shock"). but there are too many just pretty good songs for it to be a classic.

So i must admit i am one of those fans that prefer the first three albums but it's not because of the style more the fact the first three albums didn't have filler. If every song on here were as good as Mountains or That Golden Rule i would be giving this album 5 stars. But if Amazon gave me the option i would have given it 3 and a half. Ok maybe 3 and 3 quarters.

It's a good album with some brilliant moments.

From an dedicated, long term Biffy fan: Buy this album.
This review is probably geared more to the old Biffy fan, and to all new fans, if you like the singles get this album quick smart. There's no excuse otherwise.

I've got to start off with this very simple point, so simple in fact, I'm amazed I even have to write it:

If you want to listen to something that sounds like old Biffy, go listen to some old Biffy.

My favourite song's ever are Jaggy Snake, Kids from the Kibble and Liberate the Illiterate. I've got everything they've ever done, I've seen them live half a dozen times, and I have more Biffy t-shirts than I could wear in four days (I have five). I love every quirky, irregular timed and manic thing they can throw at me, but a band cannot just reproduce the same sound again and again otherwise it gets stale. We already have old Biffy to enjoy, it's nothing but a blessing that they're still around making quality, original music like Only Revolutions. If I wanted to hear old biffy, i'll just put on an old Biffy track. Why the hell would I want them to do another vertigo of bliss, when I already have vertigo of bliss to enjoy (my favourite album of all time, my god it's a good album).

I've been playing this new LP over and over since having downloaded it from torrents (steady on, I've ordered the deluxe edition from their site too). People seem to say "sing a long chorus" likes it a bad thing, but Biffy continue to write epic, catchy melodys that I just want to scream along to like a peadophile. Tracks such a Bubbles and Born on a Horse brign a springy, even "Marmaduke Duke" (new album)-esque sound into the mix. We have some slower moments and some heavier riffs. Simon Neil once again proves that he writes tunes in his sleep (which, apparently, is where he also gets his lyrics from) and the band sound richer, tighter and - yes- more radio friendly than ever. Because guess, what, it's good to appeal to a large audience.

If you don't like this music then that's that, people don't like music, I guess it's the way of things. But to criticise a band because they don't sound like they did in their first previous albums(and come on, Biffy would still sound like Biffy even if they were covering Motzart) is just selfish and borderline retarded.

Bottom line: Biffy's matured and they're a MILF.

MON THE BIFFY!