Toy Horses- 'Toy Horses'

Good family-orientated bands are hard to come by these days, with The Jackson 5 remaining perhaps the most famous.  Luckily, Welsh step-father/step-son duo are set to change this, presenting their debut self-titled album.  Having already been picked up by various radio stations, not only here but also abroad, 2011 is set to be a successful year for them.

The album opens with ‘Play What You Want,’ an upbeat start that brilliantly highlights the duo’s harmonising abilities, whilst showing both vocal skills in their own right.  The lyrics are well-written, with hooks of ‘I’ll play what you want, I won’t play at all’ and ‘you don’t care about us,’ mixed with a “la la la” sing-along section.  Debut single ‘And It Was You’ follows, with a piano-focus melody, and an arrangement with more instrumental sections.  This time, we get to hear their talents as multi-instrumentalists, and it’s worth it.  It may be fairly simple, but that’s all these tracks need.

The album takes a slower turn with ‘Last Chance,’ an acoustic offering showing a softer side to the duo.  Later in the album, with ‘Love at an Arm’s Length,’ we get the treat of another laidback track, this time mix with particularly heartfelt, poetic lyrics.  ‘Loyal to the Cause’ bounces them back into faster melodies, with the direct lyrics “you’re loyal to the cause but the cause is bound to fail” set to a more instrument heavy melody.  This track in particular shows how just two people can make great music which sounds distinctly like a band is playing.

The album finishes with ‘Interrupt,’ weaving laidback section, some laden with strings, with more intense ones, to create a track that keeps you guessing.  Their lyrics yell of personal experience, just like “I’m waiting for you to interrupt.”

Perhaps not to everyone’s tastes, but an all-round beautifully simple debut album. Toy Horses have set themselves up for a cracking 2011.

3.5/5

The King Blues- 'Set the World on Fire'

London-based punk rock/ska band ‘The King Blues’ have been making music since around 2004, albeit with a variety of line-ups.   Said to have “a commitment to politics and resistance,” the band have a heavy focus on politics in a number of tracks, with their music also being described as “radical.”  ‘Set the World on Fire’ is the latest released from third album ‘Punk & Poetry.’

High energy from the start, The King Blues clear politic influence immediately shines through, as their lyrics talk of “newspapers” and “asylum seekers”. The hook of “fire, fire, I wanna set the world on fire” shiftly follows, giving something for crowds to hang on for many gigs to come. This is not forgetting the melody, which is heavy and memorable in its own right, with the ability to promote both dancing and moshpits together. It’s both simplistic yet complex, combining the best of both worlds to create music that unites a whole audience (along with the relatable lyrics of course).

Not a band to be missed. Catch them while you can.

4/5 

Noah and the Whale- 'Tonight's the Kind of Night'

Far too long since I wrote on here... now back at University after Easter break, and straight back into writing for Spark*. I've written three reviews so far, starting with Noah and the Whale.
Perhaps most well-known for hit track ‘5 Years’ Time,’ back in 2007, Noah and the Whale have fast become a well-loved ‘folk’ band, appearing at festivals such as Glastonbury and SXSW. Their third album, released in March of this year, has already spawned the magnificent track ‘L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N,’ setting-up the band up for huge success in 2011. Next single ‘Tonight’s the Kind of Night,’ isn’t likely to change things.

With a happy, upbeat melody and a hook of ‘tonight’s the kind of night, where everything could change,’ there’s nothing not to like about this latest offering. Their ability to mix ‘folky’ instruments, such as the fiddle, together with more modern ones, such as keys, and still present a track that is universally enjoyable is a real talent, one which could easily be overlooked. Add some choral vocals, and the track is a winner. Destined to be another sing-along hit for the band, there’s no questioning their ability to churn out crowd favourites.

Not a track to be missed.

4/5

Wet Paint- Woe

Album review this time. The songs were good, but the album sounded a bit...meh. Sorry about the lack of spacing between paragraphs, can't get blogger to do it!

After the success of their first album ‘It Rots,’ four-piece ‘Wet Paint’ return with new album ‘Woe.’ Formed after the demise of ‘Absentee’ in 2008, Wet Paint have openly shown their love for Sonic Youth, Pavement and the like, using their influences in their work. Considering their recent bad luck, including a robbery of their royalties from singer Babak Ganjei’s flat, the title seems particularly fitting.Album opener ‘Gone so Long’ brings us back to Wet Paint’s roots and influences as the lyrics talk about the way music used to be appreciated, from standing at the front of gigs for hours or buying every band t-shirt possible. This is tied into their recent experiences, as the lyrics talk of money loss, and how ‘back then, it was part of the fun.’ With atmospheric guitar lines, yet a simplistic melody, this track is a triumph.  A slightly, but unashamedly heavier side of the them is shown in following track ‘Uptight Casuals,’ as there is space for a cracking guitar solo, just before well-placed overlapping vocals, keeping the listener on their toes.

There are subtle references to their experiences throughout, most notably on ‘Distant Memory’ in the line ‘take the money and run.’  The album highlights perhaps lie in the more upbeat offerings, such as ‘Dead Night,’ with its focus on the mismatch chords that strangely come together perfectly.  However, that’s not to say that the more laid-back tracks, like album closer ‘Lynchstrumental’ aren’t worth a listen. ‘Lynchstrumental’ for example, give listeners the chance to really appreciate ‘Wet Paint’s’ message, whilst still appreciating the real musical talent of the band. The guitar solo remains, this time at its more atmospheric, offering something that completely brings together all their elements in a stunning album climax.

The downside about this album is how it all fits together. Although the majority of the tracks are stormers and could stand on their own, there’s something missing in the album construction which takes part of this away from them. In this way, part of the magic of the album is lost, which is a real disappointment.

3/5