Catfish and the Bottlemen - 'The Ride' Album Review

Catfish and the Bottlemen’s rise from the seemingly never ending pub circuit to arena sell-out tours has not only been remarkable but quite simply unbelievable given the time frame in which they have achieved it. The band has worked tirelessly and shows no signs of slowing down. The fans spoke louder than the critics – something special is brewing with this band. People are excited about them, and intently so. Catfish and the Bottlemen are back with another confident, bullish, straight forward, self-assured record.

Debuting at number one in the UK album charts, ‘The Ride’ is a continuation of the values and success that have gotten the band to where they find themselves. The songs are snappy, slick and unpretentious. A perfect example of this is opening track ‘7’ - a three-minute song with a big chorus written about a girl. This has become the blueprint of Van McCann’s song writing. However, some have criticised him for this and claim that his song writing, both lyrically and musically, doesn’t have the same depth of a David Bowie or an Alex Turner song. This is a ridiculous comparison to make.

It can’t be denied that there are similar themes on this record as on their debut ‘The Balcony’.  The album can be described as ‘The Balcony 2.0’. The narratives are the same but the detail is slightly more intricate. Catfish and the Bottlemen are a self-aware band and don’t pretend that they’re something they’re not – much to their credit. McCann’s song writing is not only relatable but realistic.

Of course Catfish and the Bottlemen are going to be compared to their predecessors – it’s sometimes the only way certain critics can review a band. So comparisons to critic favourites Arctic Monkeys, Oasis and The Libertines are to be expected. It’s not a coincidence that there’s never a negative review of a Gallagher record - and trust me, there have been some bad records.

Catfish and the Bottlemen might not have written a ‘classic’ yet that will end up on a best of British compilation album but put quite simply, that is just not what this band are about. They are crowd pleasers and there is nothing wrong with that.

4/5

“The purpose of the songs is to sell tickets opposed to having a hit. It’s to get people in a room together and have a good time” – Johnny Bond:2016

Blossoms - Debut Album Review Aug '16

Blossoms’ self-titled debut album sounds like a well put together Spotify playlist for a long car journey rather than a debut indie record. As a five-piece, the lads from Stockport have an obvious knack for tunes.

Named after a pub in their hometown, Blossoms have a grounded understanding of what is happening around them with an enthusiasm that is only found in new, young bands. In a recent interview, when asked about supporting the Stone Roses, they couldn’t contain their excitement yet were quick to refer back to where they have come from. The album follows suit. It is a well thought-out, grounded record with good, poppy tunes.

‘Charlemagne’ is as radio friendly as it gets but it carries a melodic line that you find yourself whistling to after just one listen. Even though snyth-based hooks and catchy choruses seem to be the blue print of the album, tracks like ‘Texia’ and ‘Cut Me and I’ll Bleed’ prove that there is more to Blossoms’ musical arsenal. These two songs shift the dynamic of the record to a more New Order style ‘murder on the dancefloor’ aesthetic. Therefore disproving some claims that the Stockport band aren’t daring or edgy enough.

There have been some ridiculous comparisons made between Blossoms’ debut record and other bands of similar ilk. One in particular claims that the inclusion of the piano led ‘Onto Her Bed’ and acoustic track ‘My Favourite Room’ are there to copy the success Catfish and the Bottlemen had with the same kind of tracks on their record. A quick google search disproves this theory as the Stockport band have always included an acoustic, stripped back song on every EP they have released. It would therefore make sense to include this on their debut record.

When asked about their style of music, lead singer Tom Ogden has made it no secret that along with bands like Oasis and Stone Roses, the band grew up listening to artists like Abba. There is nothing wrong with pop music when done in the right way. If anything, Ogden embraces the label of being part of a ‘guitar-pop’ band. It can be as daring and cutting edge as the rest. Just look at Abba - musical legends in their own right.

Blossoms’ debut album went straight to number one, so do you really think they care if some critics claim they’re not edgy or cutting enough to be a credible guitar band? I think not.

3.5/5