Looking back through the socials of the band, I’m surprised I’ve not come across them on the South Wales music scene over the past 12 years, that is how long they have been together! It’s a hell of a commitment to continue with a project over that period. Searching Spotify you’ll come across a heavier rock album, ‘Bad News Makes Big Noise’, released in 2009. I wonder if they were still finding their sound because there is a variety of styles on there, but it is mainly similar to this album.
The second album, ‘Apparitions’ (from 2021) is much more stylistically settled, with eight tracks of definite alt-rock. I assume this is on the back of band member changes and a settled line up forming. So, it is obvious that the band have been busy during the past two years recording two albums (or one album and an eight-track EP). Anyhow, what of the new album?
Opening up with a brief semi-instrumental ‘Like Icarus Did’, which is mainly an ethereal guitar solo underneath echoey vocals before the main opener which is the second single release (out next week) from the album: ‘Craters Lip’. This is a very energetic opening from the rhythm and lead guitar (Simmonds-Dickens and Miff Tuck) and is hammered along by the drumming of Paul Jones. This will be a scorcher of an opening track on any set. Good start to the album.
‘Eden’ has a great hook, and the guitar sound continues in the same style. It reminds me of Simple Minds. It is a very upbeat positive sounding feel-good track that would probably make a good chart release with the right promotion. There is nothing around at the moment quite like it. ‘Nail In The Cause has a heavier slower more drum/bass low end guitar opening again more akin to Simple Minds, especially the guitar hook underneath the rest of the track. This becomes more obvious at the breakdown where you can hear it building very similar to ‘Alive And Kicking’. This has crowd participation/anthemic written through it like a stick of Blackpool rock.
The first single, ‘Bones Of Hope’ puts them firmly in the alt-rock genre and it is probably my favourite track on the album. It has a huge underpinning bass line from Lewis Morgan and airy guitar riff (probably using a shimverb effect) that give the track a really full sound. The backing vocals add to the sound. It is a cracking track. With echoey hollow guitar sounds the vocals of Michael Simmonds-Dickens are in the higher register and sit on top of the music very well.
This makes it easier to understand the lyrics and gain an understanding of where the band gain their influences for song writing. It’s a personal thing, but I hate muddy sounding music where the mix is all to pot and you can’t tell a lead from rhythm guitar, bass from bass drum, that’s not an issue here. The publicity blurb compares them to Jimmy Eat World, and I can hear the comparison. If they get as many plays as them on Spotify they may get about £16 from the proceeds!
‘To The River’ takes it up a notch in speed again. The guitar hooks continue in the same vein. Again, it’s not a bad track but it’s a bit simplistic in the lyrical content – unless I am missing something. ‘Stay Awake’ is the most reflective track on the album and is a bit similar to some things written by Ed Sheeran; it is obviously about loss of a significant person, something many of us have experienced during the past two years and I guarantee not a dry eye in the house. If they want a top ten single then this could be the track that does it as it will connect with so many people, and that is the thing that music does – when it connects it will fly. This track should be given its wings (please!).
‘Haunts’ has a wonderful guitar riff that continues in the same vein as most of the others on the album, but more! It is a track about friendship and repetition of things friends have in common like phrases and stories that have a tendency to get repeated many times. ‘Things That Have Learned To Walk’ starts over an acoustic guitar riff before the track builds around the drum rhythm and guitars to the verses and chorus. It is another “airy” track with a good hook and sound before the breakdown and guitar solo that is different to the rest on the album. It builds from the last verse to a crescendo that is reminiscent of Coldplay (sorry). Not that it’s a bad track either.
‘Runaway’ is more aggressive im its opening riff but again its another good track in a similar vein to the rest of the album. The final track, ‘Control’ appears to be a criticism of a toxic relationship, again with a good hook and stylistically similar to the rest of the album.
Altogether, I like the album quite a lot as it is very different to the music I usually listen to and there are many tracks on this album that I’ll be adding to a play list. If I had the opportunity to see the band live, I’ll definitely make the effort as the musical style is different to much of the South Wales music scene. You should too.
- ‘Vessels’ is released on 1 April.
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