Why wait for tomorrow? Listen now.
Perhaps its due to the timing of the band coming back on the road, or perhaps it's a reaction to the rise of Coldplay's limp wristed take on proceedings but has anyone else noticed the resurgence of Radiohead rip-offs these days?
The opening track of Soular's 'Waiting For Tomorrow' manages to tick many boxes on this style. The lilting strained vocals, the guitar chugs and fills that could have been lifted directly from 'Paranoid Android' and the evocative drumming all smacks of the Oxford boys.
Thankfully, the remaining tracks move away from such styling but with the opener being so succinctly stylised, it may polarise opinion in the band too early, and that would be a shame.
'Take Me Away' is a heartfelt melodic song that tugs at the right heartstrings and 'Where Do We Go' does similar on a more upbeat scale. For a lazy point of reference, if Noel Gallagher made an album of his post Be Here Now B-sides, it would be similar to this. All the songs carry a grander sense of achievement but remain within themselves and whilst being good, hint at a possibly better life somewhere else.
'Never' contains the most vibrant and energetic track, almost like a decent New Order album track the way it punches around and the drums continually slap you in the face, such is the high level they have been produced at. The chorus also has an understated quality to it and comes across well.
It is a pleasant record that doesn't overstay its welcome and certainly offers more inventiveness and variety than is initially suggested. With a few more twists up their sleeve and a killer chorus or two, there is no reason why Soular can't appeal to a reasonable audience. If their management has any sense they'll be supporting up and down the country so they could be well worth checking out for the gig goers who go along early.