Do you remember that non-experimental, guitar driven rock ‘n’ roll sound – the one that seemed to have disappeared in a haze of acoustic indie pop duos and synth-y type bands? Well it’s back and it returns, kicking and screaming in all of its raw glory, in the form of Camden band Tribes.
Their debut album, Baby, impresses from the very beginning – track one, ‘Whenever’, is an absolute corker. It falls and rises in the all the right places and sets the tone of the album with its edgy simplicity and slightly grungy vibe. It’s not all massive and mighty tunes, though; more subdued tracks like ‘Alone or With Friends’ and ‘Corner of an English Field’ provide a mellower break in between songs that have the potential to be colossal when played live.
Head lyricist, Johnny Lloyd, also demonstrates his writing capability with the stark effectiveness of no-frills lines such as ‘the day I die gets a little closer, still here to stay’ from the final track, ‘Bad Apple’. ‘Himalaya’, written by Jim Cratchely, shows how the band’s collective talent can give birth to monumental sounds and showcases how they are effortless when it comes to creating a powerful and emotional sound.
What I like about Tribes is how they’re infectious. You could howl and shriek the words to ‘Sappho’, dancing around your bedroom, over and over again and probably never get bored. They’re fun and refreshing as well as deep and meaningful, making it very hard not to latch on to their interesting style.
All in all, Baby is virtually perfect and even at this early stage in the year it could well top all of those polls and charts that go on about ‘Albums of the Year’. If Baby is anything to go by, the future is blindingly bright for the relatively small band. Whoever said that guitar music was dead was completely wrong, because Tribes are the epitome of timeless rock ‘n’ roll music.
Discover Tribes: Official // Myspace // Last.fm
By Elizabeth Coop
Dance Yrself Clean
