Catfish And The Bottlemen - The Balcony (Album Review)
Wednesday, 17 September 2014
Written by Matt Williams
If you’re going to release a record that sounds like it’s been resurrected, Demolition Man-style, from the unloved indie soup of a decade ago, then you better have a bloody good reason for doing so. ‘The Balcony’, Catfish And The Bottlemen’s debut, is a brusque answer to the challenge.
The Llandudno quartet exhibit a number of landfill indie foibles that will, undoubtedly, lead to them being dismissed out of hand by some. But, there is one crucial difference between them and the worst of the ‘04 brigade: Catfish And The Bottlemen have bothered to write some songs.
There is a classic air of small-town boredom throughout, with throwaway gestures and relationship minutiae blown up to headline status. According to frontman Van McCann these are ‘scruffy love songs’, and he’s not wide of the mark.
As its breadcrumb trail of singles suggested, ‘The Balcony’ is rough edged and broadly anthemic, a throwback to simple pleasures delivered with enough gusto and conviction to elevate it above bands still fighting over post-Libertines scraps.
Homesick, Cocoon, Fallout and 26 highlight McCann’s gruff delivery - something like the Kooks’ Luke Pritchard after a course of gravel and nails - and the sort of hooks that many bands would kill for. They’re direct, no frills and none the worse for it.
There will be stones thrown at Catfish And The Bottlemen, just as there will be plaudits from indie fans who have spent the last few years wishing they could clone the Cribs. You have seen these moves before, hundreds of times in fact, but ‘The Balcony’ is a decent reminder that when they’re done properly, they can be a big step towards a good time.
Catfish And The Bottlemen Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Wed November 05 2014 - CARDIFF Globe
Thu November 06 2014 - PORTSMOUTH Wedgewood Rooms
Fri November 07 2014 - LONDON KOKO
Sat November 08 2014 - LEICESTER O2 Academy Leicester
Sun November 09 2014 - LEEDS Cockpit
Wed November 12 2014 - EDINBURGH Caves
Thu November 13 2014 - ABERDEEN Tunnels
Fri November 14 2014 - GLASGOW Classic Grand
Sat November 15 2014 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE O2 Academy Newcastle
Tue December 02 2014 - SHEFFIELD Plug
Wed December 03 2014 - MANCHESTER Academy 2
Thu December 04 2014 - BRISTOL Thekla
Fri December 05 2014 - STOKE Sugarmill
Sun December 07 2014 - BIRMINGHAM Insititute Library
Mon December 08 2014 - OXFORD O2 Academy Oxford
Tue December 09 2014 - BRIGHTON Concorde 2
Fri December 12 2014 - NOTTINGHAM Rescue Rooms
Sat December 13 2014 - LIVERPOOL O2 Academy Liverpool
Wed April 01 2015 - LONDON O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire
Click here to compare & buy Catfish And The Bottlemen Tickets at Stereoboard.com.
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
