Catfish and the Bottlemen have released an unbelievable debut album. The mature feeling the band exudes is far beyond their years and impresses without a doubt. The album is made up of 11 tracks filled with sound from a young and hardworking band.
A couple of singles from the band have been released in the past few years, including “Homesick,” a powerful leading track to their debut album, and “Kathleen,” arguably the best song they have released so far, containing arena-filling choruses and a guitar and drum medley that makes you want to give it a few more listens.
Having these few EPs introduced Catfish and Bottlemen to the stage, and these past few years they were occupied with festivals and tours for some recognition. The band has expanded to North America and will be touring the United States and Canada this fall.
The songs are made up of lyrics to sing along with and music to dance to, but the variety in the album is yet to be found. Clear influences from the Strokes and a touch of Alex Turner’s Arctic Monkeys are a bit too prevalent; while it’s perfectly okay to get inspiration from other bands, it’s less than perfect to be almost the same.
There is still work to be done, but for a debut album, “The Balcony,” is stellar and more than anyone expected from such a new band. Catfish and the Bottlemen are making a name for themselves and raising the bar a little higher than usual.
Grade: A MINUS
