That moment of truth time has arived
It's moment of truth time for one of the major buzz bands of 2007.
The Twang already have two hugely popular and successful singles to their name, as well as a vast number of critically acclaimed live performances including a support slot on the recent James comeback tour, an inclusion that fitted the occasion perfectly. Now it's time to see if the Twang will build on the promise and hype, can they deliver with their debut album?
Much has been made of their late eighties and early nineties British indie sound, comparisons have been made to the Happy Mondays, when you see them live it's the swagger with which they attack every gig that has prompted such high praise. However you can spot present day influences throughout this record. Excellent anthemic opening track 'Ice Cream Sundae' is more reminiscent of Kasabian, its catchy chorus hook is one the Leicester boys would be proud of. 'The Neighbour' with its 'Woooooah wooooah' intro has a Hard-Fi feel to it, although the spoken/rapped vocal style could be compared to the Streets, or Flowered Up of 'Weekender' fame.
The West Midlands connection makes name-dropping the Streets obvious. Phil Etheridge has one of the most distinctive vocal styles of any emerging British band, it's like Mike Skinner (or Frank Skinner for that matter) went on 'Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes' as Liam Gallagher. They have a certain rock n' roll attitude that prompted the 'new Oasis' line to be thrown out, but for all their swagger and energy, there's a darker edge in some of the lyrics.
'Wide Awake', in all it's pop glory, opens with the words "I feel the cold setting in, I feel the goosebumps all over my skin, I start to fear the worse, I'm feeling so low, I shouldn't feel like this in my own home" ... drink, drugs, depression, you can relate this to any of those. 'Either Way' is slightly more uplifting though as it is talking to somebody, most likely a girlfriend, who's stood by during rough times, "I feel so much better today, chase the bad things away.". Then there's the tales of everyday living, how many of us have had to deal with the pissed off man from next door like in 'The Neighbour'.
'Love It When I Feel Like This' rattles past with the quality level rarely dropping below excellent, 'Push The Ghosts' and 'Loosely Dancing' hold their own alongside the singles and hugely popular album opener. Sadly as the record continues later tracks like 'Don't Wait Up' and 'Got Me Sussed' fail to make an immediate impact. That said this is a debut album worth owning, especially if you're a fan of any of the bands used as comparisons in this review.
As is usually the case with bands that shoot to the bigtime virtually over night, it's the culmination of years of gigging, demoing and hassling anyone who will stand still long enough, and chasing after those who don't. The full line-up has been together for two years, with this eleven track offering the pinnacle of that time. With the popularity of alternative dance being at an all time high, and rock you can move too enjoying an equal wave crest, The Twang's arrival on to the mainstream music map is perfectly timed to appeal to club and field lovers alike this summer.