You know what band I recently heard of?
Band of Skulls.
You know what album I quite enjoyed?
Sweet Sour by Band of Skulls
You know what I willingly wrote a review about?
Terrible things but also Band of Skulls' new album.
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Timing could not be more perfect for a shift in pop music. With Gotye having topped the charts with the unusually honest and well written “Somebody That I Used To Know”, slowly but surely the signs are showing that pop music is getting ready to move on, growing ever more tired of the beats and the predictable lyrics that come with them.
So it gives great satisfaction that in the same week as such a pleasant addition to the UK Charts, English alt-rock group Band of Skulls releases their second album Sweet Sour. Great because it gives the sense that, if there were to be a change soon, there are talented underground bands waiting to help make the push for more inventive music when the time comes.
From start to finish, the quality rarely lets up. Lyrically coherent, musically strong with fine timing and fantastic interweaving harmonies, every song feels fresh and memorable. The opening has an anthemic feel that could easily be a great festival song for 2012 if pushed hard enough. “Bruises” hits the right balance between Kings of Leon and Kim Deal (an odd mix) to carry both a pop air and an immensely satisfying rock underbelly. “The Devil Takes Care Of His Own” hits a chord with those missing some of the heavier chords from classic rock and “Lay My Head Down” brings the pace down for a beautifully written lullaby (interrupted shortly for a suitably scratchy musical interlude). If negatives must be drawn, production at times can be a little too heavy, drowning out some of the raw energy the musicians give, and the final track of the album is easily the weakest. But all are just minor qualms that shouldn’t deter you from giving this one a shot, as it could easily be one of the first great rock albums of the year.
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