The Cave Singers – Welcome Joy
You know what this album reminds me of? The Kings of Leon. I actually rather like a lot of KoL stuff, so that’s not as big an insult in my eyes as it might be in those of others. In fact, I like this album, although I would confess to not being blown away.
There isn’t quite the howl to this record, compared to Invitation Songs – it’s just not quite as impassioned. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve said this about bands, but this album really seems to lack passion. I assume it doesn’t, in the sense that the band presumably toiled and agonised over this one just as much as their previous record, but there is a distinct lack of urgency in the music; no howl and no fury. Without this, some of it seems a little flat, honestly. Some albums have the feeling of bursting out into the world: a group of songs begging to be born. This feels like an album that was simply made because making a second album is what you do after you have made your first.
Which is not to deny that it is a very good listen and at times genuinely excellent. In the absence of some of the more driving moments which made Invitation Songs so compelling, here the quieter songs are the ones which really grab me. Opener Summer Light is lovely, and the gently repeating guitar phrase which permeates Hen of the Woods is really nice as well. Following that comes Beach House, which may be my favourite song on the album, I think.
Pete Quirk’s vocals are just as plaintive and gorgeous as ever, and the guitar playing is fucking lovely as well. This drenches the sadder songs in pathos, and really does grip you. So I suppose this ends up feeling like half a successful album to me. I love the more downbeat songs, but the snappier ones seem to have lost a little as the band have developed, but there’s a lot of good stuff here so I’d say you can approach this with confidence.
The Cave Singers – Summer Light
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The Cave Singers – Beach House
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I feel rather silly admitting that I’ve never actually taken the time to listen to this band, but I’m so glad I have now. This is smashing.
These two songs in particular are fucking gorgeous.
This pretty much sums up what I think as well. I saw them live earlier in the year, and their performance just didn’t grab me at all, and I think that’s made me a lot less excited about this album. I should really give it another go…
They are great, though I don’t know if I like this as much as their last album. Still a pretty good record though.
Yup, the best stuff on this stands up against pretty much anything. There are more duff tracks though, I would say.