We seem to be hitting that point of the
year where Britain crosses its fingers that the gloom and rain will finally
break; the barbeque can be hesitantly unpacked from the depths of the shed and
sunny afternoons can be happily spent with a group of friends sat in the
garden, attempting not to burn burgers and enjoying life. I would be amiss writing this on a music blog
if I didn’t then make mention of finding a suitable soundtrack to fill the
happy hours, which today I am going to propose takes the form of the ska nonet
(and yes, I do indeed mean nine of them) The Meow Meows, and their new album Somehow We Met.
Recorded thanks to donations through crowd-funding website PledgeMusic,
Somehow We Met is the second album
from the Brighton-based Meow Meows, who met up with renowned reggae producer
Prince Fatty to take a shot at the rather huge task of not only capturing a
nine piece band on disc, but also managing to keep the energy and intensity
that has earned them their reputation while out on the road.
Thankfully all the effort has paid off.
Right from the beginning of opener England
Is Over we are given a masterclass in how to craft a ska track,
effortlessly blending together nine members’ worth of vocals, keys, guitars,
brass and more without ever sounding cluttered or over the top, and with a
groove and rhythm I can easily see getting a crowd moving. From there on we are
taken through a range of distinct and individual tracks, all managing to
capture that feeling and sound in their own unique way, from the brass of Banknote to the slower piano-led Milton Keynes. Alongside the
obvious ska and reggae sounds, you can also hear other influences creeping in,
with songs like whywhywhy and Might As Well Be You taking obvious cues
from 60s rock and roll, blending them with the ever present upbeat ska and
reggae rhythms that sound absolutely brilliant and are perfectly matched with
the female-fronted vocals.
I guess at this point I could go on trying
to dissect and review the songs, but I figure I would be better proposing a
hypothetical situation: take yourself back to the first paragraph of this
article where we were sat outside, relaxing and having fun with a group of
friends on a sunny afternoon, barbeque warming up and the sun in the sky. On
the stereo, the sound of a superb ska band makes for the ideal
accompaniment to an afternoon of having fun in the sun. I can only recommend
that album be The Meow Meows’ Somehow We
Met.
Somehow
We Met by The Meow Meows is out on the 29th
of July via all the usual online sources, or from the band themselves.
DL
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