Following up 2014’s outstanding debut album, ‘The Weird And Wonderful Marmozets’, the aptly-titled ‘Knowing What You Know Now’ reveals a band noticeably more confident in their abilities.
‘Play’ kicks things off with a dose of the attitude we’ve come to expect from the Bingley five-piece, as well as a fresh sense of urgency. With its pummelling rhythms, exhilarating chorus, and playful-yet-devastating riffs, it’s a song you could dance or headbang to - which is just one of the things that makes the band so distinctive. They easily fuse brashness with catchy melodies, complexity with moments where you can catch your breath - latest single ‘Habits’ being a prime example - and nothing sounds stilted or forced.
Sure, their unique brand of controlled chaos has grown more refined, but it never feels any less potent for it. ‘Major System Error’ surges fiercely forward, while sinister riffs and lyrics like “It’s us against the world” make ‘Start Again’ sound like a preparation for war. That intensity brings a new air of darkness, too - particularly on ‘Me & You’, where a stark arrangement brings out the emotion in frontwoman Becca MacIntyre’s voice.
This long-awaited second album isn’t just thrilling from start to finish: it might also be exactly what rock needs right now.
