All Kind Words

The Maccabees were always a little bit more than a pigeonholed indie rock band from Brighton/London, like I have said here before when the lads debuted two years ago with the so damn fine 'Colour It In'.

The free download 'No Kind Words' prior to the release already gave us an insight into the band's second offering which is much more carefully crafted and complex than the light-hearted debut. The much anticipated sophomore 'Wall of Arms' has been released on 4th May. As always, the buzzy guitars, quirky lyrics and Orlando Weeks' unique voice are well intact, a welcome familiarity amongst new ground.

As I gave this a couple spins and not skipped a track, soon realised gone are the playful, youthful vibe and lust in 'Toothpaste Kisses', the single that most people know them for. They are replaced with a darker and atmospheric sound unveiled under layers of propulsive guitar and anthemic arm-in-air chants. Despite the shift in tone, these are still perfectly structured pop songs, the essence that made me fell in love with The Maccabees years ago in their short career. I believe people will catch on to this prime indie pop soon enough that you regret for letting this slip now.

The Maccabees - Wall Of Arms
The Maccabees - Seventeen Hands