When The Subways grow up!
Long band names never seem to work as the new listener can become bored before they reach the end of them and taking the acronym doesn’t always work as it loses all meaning. What to do with And What Will Be Left Of Them and their ‘The Hi-Fi Low Life’ album then?
You are immediately hit with The Pixies-esque backing vocals of album opener ‘DIY Not Die’ and the aggressive tone of the music. I suppose the bands name prevents you from building up an impression of what they may sound like so this immediate blast is even more refreshing and exciting and will have you pogoing in no time at all.
The early half of the album carries in much the same vein, almost as if the band is in a rush to get their songs out before any other disaster or trouble befalls them. Its good to have an urgency and this sense of vigour will carry the band through some of their weaker moments.
It is hard to recommend this band in the live arena due to the fact that they have changed female vocalists since recording this record, which has to be said, is a disappointment. Perhaps the new entrant in the act will be just as talented but there is no doubt that one of the highlights of ‘The Hi-Fi Low Life’ album is the vocals of Lucy Harvey-Wells. They carry that half melodious, half-sneering punk snarl that works really well with shouty guitar pop and would give hope that the live shows could be energetic and exciting. That’s getting ahead of ourselves and on the album, the female vocals are spot on throughout.
The vast majority of songs on the album clock in at round the two minute mark and that’s a fair reflection of the in and out pop punk ethos that comes through from the band. If you must put the band in a box, and of course, modern etiquette insists on this, it is almost like The Subways grew up by a few years and became less annoying. The upbeat and exciting moments are still there but theres more singing and less shouting. The almost title track ‘Hi-Fi Low Life’ is a perfect example of this, the backing vocals providing a sweet counter balance to the punishing vocals from Peter Adams at the chorus.
There are plenty of choruses to get your head around on this record and as Spring takes hold, hinting at Summer, this is the sort of record that will benefit from repeated plays in hazy mornings and cheery lunchtimes. It’s an ambitious and upbeat pop record and should be celebrated for that fact alone.