November 14, 2011
The Maccabees - 'Pelican'
It's a completely natural step forward
Photo Gallery: The Maccabees
Photo: Dean Chalkley
In their most recent NME interview, The Maccabees enthused that playing the sort of massive gigs that Arctic Monkeys and Kasabian do would be something that they’d be “totally up for”. This is a good thing because – and make no mistake about this whatsoever – 2012 is going to be their year, and the point at which they step assuredly into The Big League.
In the same way that, prior to second album ‘Wall Of Arms’, ‘No Kind Words’ indicated that here was a cult concern making a giant leap into the realm of Bands To Be Taken Seriously, as a first taste of forthcoming third album ‘Given To The Wild’, ‘Pelican’ marks a step into the Take Very, Very Seriously stage. It is the sound, unmistakably, of The Maccabees we all know and love, but it’s more strident, adventurous and instinctive. Nimble guitar lines, svelte, lissom rhythms, a tear-beckoning, beautiful vocal… so many bands in recent times have attempted to retool themselves for arenas by turning up the reverb and borrowing a Bono chorus. One of the most exciting things about ‘Pelican’ is that, yes, it sounds suited to larger rooms, but it’s also like a completely natural step forward. It sounds like the best young guitar band in Britain at the absolute peak of their powers. 2012 is going to be emotional.
Hamish MacBain, Assistant Editor
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