Budapest

Damon Albarn once said that bands like Travis are like cheese on toast: it’s not bad to have every now and then, but it’s not something you want every day. And while bands like Travis, Coldplay and Starsailor all aim for the heart with their songs, the same can be said for another British easy-listening indie outfit, Budapest. Although they’re quite unknown, Budapest should be receiving the same success that the aforementioned bands have all seen recently. Their debut album, Too Blind To Hear, is every bit as romantic and heartfelt as Coldplay’s impressive debut or Starsailor’s over-hyped opus. Unfortunately there isn’t anything about Budapest that makes their music an interesting listen. Each song is a light ballad that sounds like the previous, or next, track. It becomes such a problem that the band seems to notice it themselves. On "Time,” singer John Garrison repeats, "And I’m trapped again,” obviously pointing out that he has a problem with writing the same song over and over. It’s right when the last song, "Nothing New,” kicks in that you notice that these guys really aren’t kidding about their music, and that’s what makes this record such a laugh.