REVELRY THIEVES - Silence Of Soul CD-EP
Glasgow band with a debut 5-tracker and the word that sums it up is “exquisite”. The EP kicks off with “Cities And Crossroads”, introduced by solid drums, a strummed electric guitar, a yearning vocal, all of which develop into a lurching slice of bouncing indie surge that's got a hook, flowing verses, a huge chorus, a singlaong chorus, uplifting harmonies, emotive vocals, beauty, power, dynamics, a buzzing undercurrent of guitar riffing, lots of layers, depths and textures to what is a seriously hypnotic song and a massive sense of passion that's coursing through its veins. It's commercial on a serious listening level, but, above all, you just want to play and play the thing. Up next is “Fires”, slightly faster, slightly more aggressive in the riffing, as those impassioned vocals come in right from the start and deliver, in conjunction with harmony vocals, a more urgent, intense song where the drums lurch forward in alternate driving and staccato modes as the song itself veers from verse to uplifting chorus with ease and effortless enjoyment, the high register harmonies neatly counterpointing the density of the lead vocal. The dynamics of the band's sense of arrangement come into play on a neat middle eight where things slow down a notch before rising up to the next series of choruses. “Deaf Soul” starts with plaintive electric guitar as a delicately played acoustic is added, then a hushed but upfront vocal provides a tenderness to the song as the ballad flows along, the vocal emotive, wandering into an uplifting hook every so often but telling its story with passion and an almost visual use of lyrics, on what is a really beautiful track. “Lonely After” is introduced by throbbing bass, over which the higher register vocal wanders in before it takes off in a hail of dramatic drumming and riffing guitars, the whole thing coalescing into this blast of a chorus complete with more harmony vocal layers before dropping back to the verse and setting the pattern for the emotive song, both in feel and lyrical content, just takes to the skies as the guitar also takes off. It dives down briefly for dynamic effect before the whole thing rises up again to great effect. The CD finishes with “Dressed For The End” as a driving, powerful song is ushered in with pounding bass, crashing cymbals, surging guitars and more impassioned vocals as another gem of a song rolls along in faster mode, the bass well upfront and providing the foundations on which the song takes off, another huge epic of a chorus, the prize at the end of the solidly sung verses. It all intensifies and accelerates as the band really hit the skies running on a fantastic adrenaline rush of a song that's the perfect way to end what's been an absolutely superb quintet of songs. As I said, “exquisite”!!