Album Review - Opshop: Until The End Of Time

Friday, February 03, 2012 3:15 PM

Rhythm Method

Opshop took a place in our hearts when the song One Day was used in a series of TV commercials for New Zealand Post a few years ago. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. That song was the ballad from their album Second Hand Planet, which apparently almost didn't make to the album, the song was written at the last minute, almost as an after thought. Jason Kerrison, Opshop's lead singer, said of the title of their latest album Until the End of Time "it's more of a romantic notion than a cataclysmic one. Human society has found itself in a time where you've got an unprecedented number of cultures predicting an end time, and you know, is that a sheer fluke." This is the guy who is building an arc to survive the suggested end of days this December. He's a deep thinker. His heartfelt thoughts come through on songs like Sunday's Best Clothes (as heard on Easy Mix) and the second song Love Will Always Win, which was inspired by two of the band members having sons. While for the most part a steady pop/rock album, Until The End Of Time has a nice flow, ebbing between the paces of various mediums, with the slow Sunday's Best Clothes falling into line at just the right time. Described by the band as the 'One Day' of this album, and also as "an austerity package for the nation," it's a great song. Jason's fragile voice is really tested when he mocks the serious side of his beliefs in Madness And Other Allergies, he's helped along by some fancy technology which distorts him and the guitars with a compressed ease. This is not something that's added on later, they boys have worked out how to alter their sound as they play. Clever boys! Take a listen.

Track listing:

1. "Pins and Needles" – 4:33
2. "Love Will Always Win" – 4:00
3. "Through" – 5:26
4. "Paradox" – 3:33
5. "Madness & Other Allergies" – 3:55
6. "Monsters Under the Bed" – 4:25
7. "A Fine Mess We're In" – 4:35
8. "Sunday's Best Clothes" – 4:13
9. "Everything to Someone" – 4:09
10. "Nowhere Fast" – 4:08
11. "All for You" – 4:06
12. "Clarity" – 4:32