Fun Anxiety? Surely not.
Fun anxiety kicks off with the almost trance inducing drumbeat and guitar riff of “Santino”. The opening track could be compared to early Radiohead material, which is not a bad thing in any sense and sets the mark high for this debut album by Kill The Captains. Next up is “Spot The Leopard” which can only be described as a disjointed pop song, sounding like one would expect most indie rock bands to sound like if they were pushed head first into a musical blender.
This is where the album goes in a new direction, with “Rope.” This song is more straight forward, and downright emotional. It showcases the lyrical talent of Leon Carter exceptionally well along with the skills of the guitarists. The first two and a half minutes of “The Yellow Brush” are essentially a wall of noise, but set the scene beautifully for the haunting vocal melodies and then upbeat, jangly choruses there are to come. “Dutch Rudder” is the first instrumental track to appear on the album and begins with interesting xylophone playing and is then merged with some off key piano. All of this music is moulded with effects which keep the short but important track remarkable throughout.
“Clovers” slows the album right back down, and provides the listener with some “food for thought” so to speak. The second half of the album begins with another instrumental track, “The Missing Canoeist.” This instrumental doesn’t quite have the charm of the previous one, but is decent nevertheless. It is straight up guitar-driven rock which gains some momentum about halfway through but doesn’t take you anywhere new, but for some reason remains good to listen to and keeps you fascinated. “Rummy” is the first single taken from the album and it is easy to see why. On the first listen you can effortlessly picture people all over the country shaking down and roaring along to it in nightclubs and venues.
“Lebanese” is another journey for the listener through the emotional of Leon Carter’s mind, and draws you back to the earlier Radiohead comparison, especially with the guitar and bass. “House Band at the Asylum” is wacky, random and hands down the strangest track on the album, with a bass line fit for a Primus album. “Cellar Dweller” is the highlight of the album, with the song growing and ready to explode with every verse which it then does just as you expect it to calm back down. This song is easily single material, and stands out head and shoulders above a lot of the music on the radio today. Album closer Harper’s Call” is a love song without a shadow of a doubt, and is perfect for the end of a superb album by a relatively young band.
“Fun Anxiety” is a terrific listen from start to finish, and if this is where British music is heading, you best book your ticket for the ride.