The Carnabys

Their name would suggest they are a retro mod/Who/Jam cover band; others have suggested the Rolling Stones Led Zeppelin, and Queens of the Stone Age as influences. Hmm, opener and debut single, The Pocket is a high-energy thrash that puts The Carnabys at the more energetic end of the indie sound.

Names and disputed influences aside The Carnabys have grafted an album of some charm and diversity with poppers like Come Over To Stay and Keep me on the Run, sitting comfortably with the more intense and complex It’s not the Same.

A complex interplay between the rhythm section drives many of the songs but never gets self-indulgent. The guitars are maybe a little too clean and clinical to really bear comparison with the aforementioned influences though they do beef up on Where I’d Rather Be. Then there’s Jack Mercer’s powerful passionate vocals though they sometimes drift dangerously close towards Tony Hadley’s dulcet tones.

There’s a real sense of vitality about this band and its obvious why they are getting plaudits for their live work. Songs such as the glacial SNIKS and the arena pop of Keep me on the Run are just set to bring down the house.

It is good to hear a band that are really trying to rock out and blow out the speakers, and, whether they’re conscious of it or not, experiment too. It takes two or three listens to get it, but once you are past the initial bombast of the album, you pick up on the subtleties of the songs and nods towards other directions, which makes things very interesting for listener and band alike.