Recluse
South Wales Alternative Rock outfit Recluse have been regularly playing on the scene over in those parts over the last few years, gradually building up a solid fan base and a reputation for a fantastic live show. Recording their debut studio album, Crooked Heart, in 2011 and releasing it in October of the same year, the band are now out to get more attention, get noticed and get firmly in your face.
From the opening riffs of Come On Over there’s a real sense of funky good time rock to these guys, opening solid and keeping the feel firmly progressing throughout the track. Softened vocals contrast against the powerful music before building to an equally powerful crescendo, matching the pounding backing music and giving the sound a sense of the South tinged with some real funk. The theme seems to be one which continues through All Of A Sudden, once again keeping everything at a solid pace and throwing in some almost Dave Grohl vocals (think early Foo Fighters) to match the mix, elevating the track into something which I wouldn’t think out of place on any festival stage around the UK.
Passing Cars, In Retrospect, Heartjacker and Dirty Blonde all stick to the same tried and tested method, keeping the guitars firmly at the front of the mix and backing everything up with a solid pounding bass line designed to keep you moving. It’s when Hush comes around though that it’s almost like a change is signalled on the album, everything tones down to an almost Live (the band) style ballad type track, slower and more restrained than before, keeping everything firmly based around a dark melody and soft yet effective beat. It’s this sort of track which has been missing from music over recent years, tracks which are almost psychedelic in their sound. This sound is going to be the one which pushes this band into the forefront of peoples spotlight I think, it’s refreshing to hear!
Lover marks a return to the more classical approach to rock, still keeping a sense of the glory days of grunge firmly in place, yet there’s still that darkness behind everything. Throwing in some nifty lead lines to keep the mix firmly on the side of funky once again, this track is another high point on the album and one which I advise you to check out. Crown Of Sleep follows on and keeps the sound appealing once again, this time reverting to the slower approach so as to almost usher in a ballad like moment, soft and emotional from the outset yet harking at something heavier to follow, the heavier element being the Radio-Head style chorus which kicks in, catchy enough to sing along to yet retaining the darkness so as not to sound too commercialised.
Finishing with Porterhouse Blues and Calmer Killer, you’re left with a real sense that this is a band that could well have been massive 15 years ago, but could well be at the forefront of a new movement of this sort. Their music has got elements of heavy built in, but they’re always built around the key idea of melody, always allowing the track to form itself before throwing something distorted at you.
As an album this is one which you’ll listen to and enjoy, it won’t cause offence or make you question why you bought it, instead providing you with 11 tracks of enjoyment, each one holding something slightly different to the one before. Will this music change the world, I don’t know to be honest, but I love the world that’s created when you crack this album on to play, you’re transported to a new world where the rules don’t apply, the music is all that matters and you’re left to simply enjoy every single second of it. Definitely one to make sure you check out.
To find out more about Recluse, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
From the opening riffs of Come On Over there’s a real sense of funky good time rock to these guys, opening solid and keeping the feel firmly progressing throughout the track. Softened vocals contrast against the powerful music before building to an equally powerful crescendo, matching the pounding backing music and giving the sound a sense of the South tinged with some real funk. The theme seems to be one which continues through All Of A Sudden, once again keeping everything at a solid pace and throwing in some almost Dave Grohl vocals (think early Foo Fighters) to match the mix, elevating the track into something which I wouldn’t think out of place on any festival stage around the UK.
Passing Cars, In Retrospect, Heartjacker and Dirty Blonde all stick to the same tried and tested method, keeping the guitars firmly at the front of the mix and backing everything up with a solid pounding bass line designed to keep you moving. It’s when Hush comes around though that it’s almost like a change is signalled on the album, everything tones down to an almost Live (the band) style ballad type track, slower and more restrained than before, keeping everything firmly based around a dark melody and soft yet effective beat. It’s this sort of track which has been missing from music over recent years, tracks which are almost psychedelic in their sound. This sound is going to be the one which pushes this band into the forefront of peoples spotlight I think, it’s refreshing to hear!
Lover marks a return to the more classical approach to rock, still keeping a sense of the glory days of grunge firmly in place, yet there’s still that darkness behind everything. Throwing in some nifty lead lines to keep the mix firmly on the side of funky once again, this track is another high point on the album and one which I advise you to check out. Crown Of Sleep follows on and keeps the sound appealing once again, this time reverting to the slower approach so as to almost usher in a ballad like moment, soft and emotional from the outset yet harking at something heavier to follow, the heavier element being the Radio-Head style chorus which kicks in, catchy enough to sing along to yet retaining the darkness so as not to sound too commercialised.
Finishing with Porterhouse Blues and Calmer Killer, you’re left with a real sense that this is a band that could well have been massive 15 years ago, but could well be at the forefront of a new movement of this sort. Their music has got elements of heavy built in, but they’re always built around the key idea of melody, always allowing the track to form itself before throwing something distorted at you.
As an album this is one which you’ll listen to and enjoy, it won’t cause offence or make you question why you bought it, instead providing you with 11 tracks of enjoyment, each one holding something slightly different to the one before. Will this music change the world, I don’t know to be honest, but I love the world that’s created when you crack this album on to play, you’re transported to a new world where the rules don’t apply, the music is all that matters and you’re left to simply enjoy every single second of it. Definitely one to make sure you check out.
To find out more about Recluse, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls