Biffy Clyro – ‘Ellipsis’ [Review]
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Back in 2002, few people would have predicted that Biffy Clyro would reach the heights they have today. Thousands hoped that success would rain upon the Scottish trio – but on paper, it still seemed unlikely. Biffy have always been a complex, intricate proposition, no matter how many great hooks they proved capable of conjuring up – and the Number One spot is generally reserved for those who appeal to the lowest common denominator.
Of course, Opposites – a double album, no less – proved past doubters, myself included, wrong. Despite my love of prog and long-term Biffy fan status, Opposites still flew over my head, although I still got a warm fuzzy feeling from watching them finally make it.
So now comes Opposites’ follow-up, Ellipsis.
The first thing to say about Ellipsis is that it’s comparatively compact, concise, and direct. The second thing is this.
Ellipsis is Biffy’s best work since Puzzle dropped way back in 2007.
Controversial? Sure. But Ellipsis is built on a far more mature foundation than Opposites or Only Revolutions. At times, the lyrics border on self-flagellation; at others, they bust the boundaries down completely. Ellipsis is often the sound of hindsight-enabled self-criticism – and its raw emotional impact will register on plenty of listeners’ psychological Richter scales as a result.
Animal Style declares “I’m just a fuckin’ animal.”
On A Bang asks “Now you know better / Why can’t you fucking do better?”
Howl addresses anger management issues. “I’ll never learn…I am explosive and volatile…I’m on the turn…”
Say what you like about Biffy Clyro, but they’ve never been fond of compromise – and Ellipsis sees them as willing as ever to push, poke, and prod themselves to the point of almost falling over the edge. The constant tension, the balancing act between control and collapse, is the mark of great musicianship. Elsewhere, opening offering Wolves Of Winter digs into a full-on prog workout full of rhythmic potholes; Re-arrange sees Biffy expose their most sensitive nerves, penning a slickly bittersweet love song; Medicine merges acoustic lilt with references to broken relationships and substance abuse; and Small Wishes starts off with the kind of clean, country-tinged guitar work the Texan maestro Eric Johnson would be proud of.
If you felt that Opposites was intended to be Biffy’s masterpiece but fell short of the mark, and Puzzle is out of the running, Ellipsis will be it. This is easily among Biffy Clyro’s greatest work. Easily.
TMMP RATING: 95% (Essential Listening!)
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