When I reviewed the single Cave of Swimmers at the end of last year, I praised this young band as “one to watch” for any Indie kids out there. Well, the promised e.p. is upon us so it’s time to see if this Shropshire four piece are more than just a one trick pony. Alongside the already released single of the same name (which I won’t dwell on here as I’m already on record extolling it’s cleaned-limbed funky goodness) you get three new songs and a couple of radio edits.
Grace takes the bands hallmark sound of shimmering guitars and clever dynamic and places it over a more conventional rock beat that before but still manages to inject enough twists and turns to make it stand out in it’s own right. And if Grace’s instrumentation is all about leading from the front Eyes Open is built on a simple and relentless bass structure, re-enforced by solid beats and thus allowing the guitars to wander in and out with ever increasing intensity and the vocals to soar high above it all.
Out of The Picture is a real study in the old less is more adage, again built on a solid rhythm section – it’s nice to see a band who drive from the back rather than create clever guitar lines and just ask the back two to try and keep up, other young bands could learn a lot – and again chiming guitars meander at their own discretion finally helping to build the crescendo that takes the song over the finish line.
At a time when every other skinny-jeaned, white kid is looking to set the world on fire with earnest, radio friendly anthems, normally resulting in the biggest excess of landfill indie wannabes since Oasis first moaned their way on to the scene, Arcade Parade certainly stand out from the pack. Already with a well thought out sound and the ability to deliver it perfectly, a sound that is mainstream without resorting to obvious cliche, still underground enough to be cool and young enough to build this potential into possibly truly great things. The are not only still high up on the “one to watch list” they are also footnoted with every indie fans perfect band.
