Gallows - Just Because You Sleep Next To Me Doesn't Mean You're Safe
Sometimes when bands are at the height of their fame, they (or most probably their record labels) make catastrophically bad decisions to capitalise on their popularity. ‘Gallows’ last effort, ‘Staring at the Rudeboys’ was one of those decisions. A bit like Pele choosing to endorse anti-impotence tablets or Sony BMG continuing to give Mark Ronson a platform to exist on, it’s probably best to ignore it (or in the case of Ronson, eradicate it) and move on.
‘Just Because…’ is a timely and welcome return to form from ‘Gallows’. I remember listening to ‘Orchestra of Wolves’ a year back and being struck by this track in particular. The beginning is brutal and unrelenting, very reminiscent of ‘Converge’ in the pomp. The song encompasses all the energy that, over the past year, ‘Gallows’ have become famous for.
Carter’s snarl is expertly accompanied throughout, and while the song isn’t perhaps among ‘Gallows’ fans as say, ‘Abandon Ship’ and the anthemic ‘Orchestra of Wolves’, there’s something about this song, which points to a very bright future for ‘Gallows’. This song sums up pretty much why I fell in love with ‘Gallows’. It gives the listener everything, but its raw aggression strips that all back and leaves you with a bare boned hardcore song.
In the past year, they have promised much, and whilst been consistent with their delivery, there has always been a nagging feeling from me that they have perhaps got too big too soon. Headlining venues like the ‘Wedgewood Rooms’ when you only have an album worth of material points to that. ‘Gallows’ need songs like this to become the band they have the potential to be. The problem with songs like this is the bigger they get and the more coverage they get, the rarer songs like ‘Just Because…’ will become, slowly to be overtaken by NME driven collaborations to feed the great unwashed.