the ride; an album review

i've been a bit absent from this for a solid few months because it's officially exam season and unfortunately blog posts aren't top of my list of priorities, but here i am with a (yes, another) post about catfish & the bottlemen. this time, it's the release of their second album, 'the ride'.

their latest pick 'n' mix of eleven songs has secured catfish and the bottlemen's place as possibly my favourite band. full of an eclectic but familiar mix of guitar heavy songs, 'the ride' is an album that is worth every penny of that £10. even if you're not the biggest catfish fan, it's bound to have some songs that appeal to you.

it opens with '7', which actually strays away from the normally anthem-esque tracks that many have come to associate with the band. however, though it may be more stripped back than their usual offerings, '7' definitely doesn't lack the catchy, singalong qualities that to me scream catfish and the bottlemen. all of their songs are perfect for live performances in which the crowd sing louder than van mccann himself, and '7' is no exception by any means.

their pre-album release tour back in april debuted a few new songs so much of the album was familiar. their initial single 'soundcheck', as well as 'anything' and 'red' were amazingly well received live and so they continue to be on the album. 'anything' is actually one of my absolute favourites from catfish's latest- it's somewhat romantic as the lyrics express the need to be there for someone, with van singing that 'anything you need at any time at all i want you to phone me'. still, whilst lyrically it might be quite cute in a way that's unlike catfish's usual blatantly upfront and shameless lyrics, 'anything' still follows the familiar and prevalent guitar riffs associated with van, bondy, benji and bob.

other standout tracks include 'oxygen' and the acoustic numbers 'glasgow' and 'heathrow'. they create a nice contrast with the manic, angsty tracks that surround them on the album, whilst still embodying the unapologetic indie rock that catfish & the bottlemen are renowned for. the album finishes with 'outside', a song that was hyped up by frontman van mccann before the release of the album in his usual ecstatic and humble way. it's hype was undeniably for very good reason- 'outside' is one hell of a track. it's raw, and honest but the crashing guitar and that last minute or so (if you know, you know) is, as van put it in a mailing list email a few months ago, 'absolutelyyyyy masssssssive'. i can practically hear them ending future gigs with this anthem.

all in all, the brazen-faced llandudno lads
maintain the relatable and anthemic but admittedly safe style of their first album, in what is a stellar follow up. paying homage to the crass lyrics and thrashing guitars of early arctic monkeys and oasis tracks, this is an album that isn't getting old any time soon. it does lack one standout song; catfish don't exactly have their 'I bet you look good on the dancefloor' just yet. but if you're a fan of some old school indie rock, it's a genuinely brilliant album.

'the ride' is available on apple music and spotify now.

neive x