Five O’clock Heroes - Speak Your Language
Five O’clock Heroes is a not so new but currently better-known musical act releasing their second album ‘Speak You Language’. Influences such as Elvis Costello, The Police and Joe Jackson seem to have some impact upon their new wave influenced indie rock music.
The vocals on this release are very edgy, original for their faulty hiccups in pitch and can move between the tracks well. What made a difference and quite an impact was the added vocal chill from Agyness Deyn on ‘Who’. It was great to hear some female freedom on this male focused vocal release. While singing, a vocalist needs to be able to swing between lyrics and here it is done really well, especially on two particular tracks; the title track with the catchy chorus shouting of “I feel the lights down low, everyone seems to known” and then ‘Alice’. With the jumpy vocals repeating “Alice wont you take me back, Wont you take me back” the chorus really does catchy on; with a 60’s feel this track does no wrong.
The remainder tunes all indie based, with the occasional familiar beat you can’t place a finger on, like ‘These Girls’. There is nothing really special that pops out on you on these songs. However, each track seems to have a little something others don’t. ‘Judas’ has the fast paced musical rumbling, ‘New York Chinese Laundry’ has the bass line rhythms; ‘Everybody Knows It’ has clapping in with the melodious sounds escaping and ‘Radio Lover’ is soaked with an underlying guitar riff, which shapes the entire track. A few tracks stand out for various other reasons. ‘Trust’ has an acoustic guitar that gives a couple of quick strums, ‘Don't Say Don't’ with its soulful nature and strumming of electric guitar, ‘Happy Together’ is a happy go lucky placid ballad and ‘Grab Me’ is more insistent and forceful.
I quite like the way imagery and atmospheric enchantments shape ‘God and Country’. Imagine going through rapids, along a trickling river in a canoe and you have the bumpy ride this track emits; vocals are like a giant hiccup. Watch out for hidden slice of ballad acoustic softness right at the end, it is rather enlightening and concludes the album incredibly well.