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Thursday 13 December 2007

Album Review - The Maccabees 'Colour it in'- expanded from single review

“You stood out like a sore thumb, the most beautiful sore thumb I’d ever seen”. Immediately, from the effortlessly quirky lyrics that lace the album, it is clear that The Maccabees are not just another band to be pigeon holed.

The band’s debut album ‘Colour it in’ invites you to step into the world of The Maccabees. Their words dance around your ears as they take you around the Brighton Lanes. They show you where they grew up, tell you of heartaches and reveal to you the musical equivalent of the childhood photos your mum would unveil for every guest that should feign some sort of interest.

Songs with personal perspectives like ‘Latchmere’, describe the band’s local swimming pool add to its originality and success. Lines such as ‘Speedos speed by’ convey the band’s wit and prove that anyone who doubted the talents of this skinny jean toting four piece, were hugely mistaken. Similarly, ‘OAVIP’ relates to the death of a grandparent and portrays the band’s endearing and trademark Indie sensitivity.

‘Colour it in’ describes first loves, lost loves and requited love. Beautifully simple ‘First Love’ shows a welcomed bit of anti-conformist satire with ‘Let’s get married and tick the boxes’. Vocals from Orlando Weeks such as “She’s the flutter in my heart, the spring in my step” in upbeat ‘X-Ray’ make it close to impossible not to fall for the band. At the same time, ‘My empty h-h-h-eart’ accompanied by equally staggered beats, make impulsive and sporadic Foals ‘Hummer’-esque dancing an unavoidable necessity.

A tranquil final track on the album ‘Toothpaste Kisses’ contains typically likeable lyrics like “I’ll win your heart with a ‘woot woo’”, accompanied by an aptly timed wolf whistle. It is reminiscent of something Jack Penate would have released had he of been raised by Jack Johnson and is the single that makes the annoying girl who has been semi-moshing energetically throughout the set and spilling her drink all over you in the process, finally stand still and just listen.

‘Colour it in’ is the story of four talented individuals growing up. It is the album that pulls you by both hands onto the sticky dance floor of a local Indie club. It is the album that provides the tissues for you to dry your eyes with. It is The Maccabees and it is, in fact, brilliant.

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