The Maccabees re-emerge into the world like butterfly from a chrysalis. Although rather than a cheerful, indie-pop, happy-go-lucky butterfly like everybody expected, The Macabees have emerged as a slightly more serious, well-produced, grown-up butterfly. Their new album Wall of Sound has Markus Dravs at the helm whose production credits include Arcade Fire’s Neon Bible. Knowing a producer and his previous exploits can sometimes create difficulties when reviewing an album as your constantly given aural hints that such producer has been at work here. With this album especially the fact that Markus Dravs had worked on Neon Bible meant it was hard to dispose of Arcade Fire-like parallels in the new Maccabees. However, I managed to break free from the shackles long enough to discover that what the Macabees where and are remain fundamentally the same. The raw materials, the heartfelt, sorrowful lyrics are still present and their classic skipping rhythm section is still the driving force behind the majority of songs on Wall Of Arms. Notably this is something that will keep fans of the old Maccabees sound happy and there’s also a new element of production from ‘Dravs’ a more rounded, fuller sound that could almost be described as dark. I settled on the main difference as being the tone of the sound, it isn’t the bubblegum, cockney drawled, indie-pop of ‘Colour It In’ but it does hold on to the soul of the Maccabees.
No song could better exemplify what I’m trying to portray than ‘No Kind Words’, this is a dark brooding track in which lead singer Orlando Weeks chants “If you’ve got no kind words to say, you should say nothing more at all”. The guitar marauds through the track as though in search of a musical foe and the lyrics form a deathly mantra. On the song ‘Young Lions’, fans of the former Maccabees sound will delight at the signature drums and dancing hi-hats carrying the rhythm. Beautifully sorrowful lyrical delivery builds to a crescendo. It’s obvious to see throughout that Dravs has treated the Maccabees sound to a good square meal, such is the beefed-up outcome. The title track ‘Wall Of Arms’ feels good and honest, the soft-horn section compliments the sweet sentiments of the lyrics and the song ends in a blaring release.
All in all the Maccabees have created another pop savvy album laden with their now signature heartfelt storytelling driven by their frantic rhythm section. They are more refined now, it’s a darker more polished act, well produced but doesn’t lose track of what it is at heart. Still after writing this I have the occasional moment where I feel as though they are trying to hard to sound like arcade fire, but that feeling quickly subsides as the next song begins to play.
You can listen to Wall Of Arms on Spotify here…
And buy it here…
