It’s been a long hard slog for the East London band that was formed six years ago, with many a twist and turn on the way. A story of line-up changes and broken record deals, after the label wanted copycat indie hits, and the band wanted to make an album that they could feel proud of. Looking at this, their first studio offering, I think that they’ve achieved their goal. This is just under forty seven minutes of pure indie pop pleasure, with big guitar and keyboard soundscapes, witty, intelligent lyrics, and rousing anthemic choruses that leave this listener wanting to put some of the eleven tracks on repeat on my CD player!
The opening track ‘Order From The Chaos’ could well be documenting the band’s past trials and tribulations, when James Ewers sings, “Paradise is long lost”. This song bears up on repeated playings and is a good solid start to the album.
‘Welcome to the Family’ starts off all fuzzy guitar sound before morphing into a melodic line similar at times to The Vapors ‘News at Ten’. With some harder edged political lyrics: -
“Don’t say I didn’t tell you so, Just tell me if you want to go, back to the barricade" and “Goodbye to the land of the free, welcome to the family.”
After two strong opening tracks, they immediately follow it with ‘Parasol’, their latest single, which is four minutes of virtual perfection, with a big echoing chorus: -
“There’s freedom in the burning sun, freedom as we walk as one”.
After the first hearing of these tracks, I thought that this band deserves to be huge. Quite rightfully they were the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition winners, run by Q magazine.
‘Ambition’ is a slower melodic track with an“Ambition/Obsession” counterpoint, whilst ‘A Little Declaration’ throws out some excellent one-liners: -
“I’ll find a lifetime of experience in Kerouac” and
|
“I walk up the beaten track, If I had a forest I’d be a lumberjack”.
‘Homewrecker’ is one of my favourite tracks on the album with its slow piano melody and lyrics that show a vulnerability as well as spitting hatred at the bloke who’s having an affair with the character’s partner.
“The more I think about it, the more I’m paranoid. I could make do without her, but that would be my choice...Are you making plans, homewrecker?”
‘Clementine’ is another delight with big melodies and rousing choruses:
“Like you always say, it’s mind over matter/ I know I’ll find you someday, when time is not a factor.”
“Blessed are the forgetful, we’re not so successful”.
‘The Sound of Music’ is an excellent harder edged rock track, which lingers in the mind long after the song has ended. The final few tracks, ‘Heads Will Roll’, ‘The Firemen’ and ‘Won’ remain at the same high standard, ‘Heads Will Roll’ in particular standing out from the other tracks on the rest of the album, with its harmonica based, slightly Dylanesque rolling melody, and a great line that could have come from the man himself:
“How can I sleep when there’s a world to put to rights?”. Well, this is clearly a band that hasn’t been sleeping; instead they have provided us with one of the best indie albums of the year. Buy the CD or download the album, go to see them live. You won’t be disappointed.
My Luminaries Myspace page
|
