THE ARKANES - W.A.R.

Kategorie: CD-Reviews | Genre: Alternative/Indie | Heft: Jahrgang 2014, eclipsed Nr. 160 / 5-2014 | VÖ-Jahr: 2014 | Wertung: 7/10 | Label: SPV | Autor: JV


The four guys from Liverpool create a little trick: they don't offer anything really new, they work themselves unshakably, almost stubbornly through common riffs and rhythms from grunge and classic rock that have been heard umpteen times - and yet they go off as if they had actually just discovered what they are playing and would have to pass it on to their audience with full force. This wild carelessness, paired with the right feeling for melodies, quickly brought the band a large international fan base via internet and airplay on American college radio stations, among others. They're hard, but they're so hard, it doesn't necessarily hurt. So they are likely to receive further mass media attention. What's likeable about their debut is that the songs were not ironed too smoothly and reflect a lot of the roughness and energy that the band is expected to bring out live. By the way, they can also play ballads quite well, as the acoustic guitar dominated "Skeletons" with its light bon jovi touch and the dreamy, mysterious, orchestral "Paper Planes" prove.

Top track: Vampyre

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