View The Review
6 out of 10
Having already managed to achieve some impressive support slots with the likes of The Buzzcocks, The Perils seem to be jostling their way onto the mainstream music scene, similar to how any self respecting middle class English businessman, late for a meeting would push his way to the front of a busy ticket queue in a bustling railway station. I say that because The Perils have an unmistakably British sound which seems to be somewhat riding upon the coattails of bands like The Kooks.
First track, "Be Your Peril" consists of a quite basic, clean sounding riff which will have most people thinking "I've heard this somewhere before" due to its striking similarity to the Editors' song, Munich. In fact much of this album will have many people thinking "this sounds just like." (and insert relevant band name here) .
That being said, every song is nicely structured with a feel of everything happening in the right place at the right time. Contrary to the music of bands of similar style, there are some great melodies as opposed to that flat drone like quality that seems to occur with bands who marry great musicianship with crap singers.
They also manage to maintain their own style without making every song sound the same. Add to that some great lyrics which will certainly speak to what has been labeled "generation crunch" exemplified most aptly in the track "Lipstick Sister". It's by far the standout track on the album and includes the line "keep moving, don't stop" which for me, is a great statement on what modern life has come to mean for so many and however you interpret it whether positively or negatively, it's something that I anticipate a majority of listeners will hear and think 'I totally identify with that'.
No self respecting indie-rock album would be complete without a melancholic acoustic song at the end and The Peril's debut is no different. As soon as "The Highway" kicks in, I think to myself 'I bet at some point there'll be a cello or violin" and I was right. It's a great song though and again shows that they have the ability to actually write music with appealing melodies drawing upon simple vocal harmonies and remembering that sometimes less is more.
The thing that lets this album down is that the riffs are in most cases very weak which is surprising given that The Perils prove that they can write a damn good song or 12.
They're not breaking new boundaries by any means with their music but for anyone who is into mainstream indie rock similar to The Kooks, The Fratellis or The Ordinary Boys then this is really up your street. They are in some cases just another "The" band but it's also tinged with some nice little reggae, funk and punk elements so still worth a listen if that particular three letter word puts you off.
Listen: www.myspace.com/theperilsarecoming
Tracklist:
1. Be Your Peril
2. Bedlocked
3. The Cigarette Song
4. Give Me A Reason
5. If I Was King
6. Lipstick Sister
7. The River
8. Prize Lane
9. Sleeping Vegas
10. Backroom
11. Tell Me That You Love Me
12. The Highway
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