It’s been an interesting journey so far for a band who’ve had their fair share of ups and downs. Promising first release ‘Exits’ garnered critical support from NME and Kerrang rubbing shoulders with debuts from Bloc Party, Kasabian and the Kaiser Chiefs in the last real mainstream indie high-watermark back in 2005. Having signed to Alan McGee’s ill-fated Poptones label which soon imploded the band found themselves homeless and in paid employment to produce a follow up release. Entirely self-funded, mostly from tireless gigging, it was the first ever digital iTunes only album from an unsigned band to enter the US Billboard chart. Latest effort ‘Promises’ is a progression of sorts as (in the studio at least) the band swap those early aggro rock-outs for Sigur Ros-like loops, layers and effects pedals.
Arriving at the Thekla and with a storm raging outside, the soggy audience of mixed ages are treated to an hour of piano-led building anthems, two-dimensional grunge and deafening distortion (think ‘The Bends’ era Radiohead). They begin with ‘The Runner,’ a punchy punky ball-grabbing intro which goes down well. Clean-cut Tennessee-bred frontman Nathan Nicholson then flits from guitar to keyboard, hitting those towering choir-boy falsettos for the most part with eyes closed and praying hands aloft. There’s no doubting that Nicholson is an accomplished singer but his voice can sound a little generic at times, it would appear that balancing the technical ability to reach for high notes comes at the expense of injecting real passion.
Visually they have solid rock credentials with thick-set dynamo Australian guitarist Todd Howe and outstanding hairy Brit drummer Piers Hewitt. Hewitt stars throughout with some top-class rapid-fire spattering that lifts the occasional gloom even when sharing drumming duties in a three-way attack with Howe and bassist Adam Harrison on the rousing ‘New York.’ Moving through the set and ‘Step Out Of The Car’ would sit comfortably on ‘Pablo Honey,’ once again for all its bluster you can’t help that feel that Nicholson feels more comfortable in front of a keyboard playing to the Coldplay sect nowadays. ‘Diamonds’ proves a real crowd-pleaser and it’s easy to see how its guitar hook and stratospheric chorus would land it on so many US TV shows and soundtracks (‘One Tree Hill’, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ et al.) New single ‘Keep Moving’ breezily bounces before old favourite ‘Watermelon’ whips up a maelstrom of crunching guitars and rare throaty howls showing that they can still rock hard.
‘Fragile’ is the night’s highlight which sees Harrison back on the drum pads in tandem with Hewitt’s stunning kit work, Howe twiddles the effects knobs and Nicholson soars over a crescendo of fuzz. Final tune ‘Gospel of Goro Adachi’ feels like the sound that U2 have recently been struggling to nail. Gentle piano melody, breathy vocals, synthy pads, another scything masterclass from Howe (who plays keys, axe and drums!) before Nicholson and Harrison drop to their knees and pound on the effects pedals. We’re left with a wall of noise and a huge ovation for a band who are strikingly superior live than on record and who will surely continue to win admirers.
Best Track: Click on link below
Boxer Rebellion - 'Diamonds'
Kindly published by Bristol 24-7
http://www.bristol247.com/2014/02/12/review-boxer-rebellion-thekla-bristol-24236/
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