Blaenavon‘s debut album has been a long time coming. Having signed a record contract with famed indie label Transgressive while the trio were still doing their A-Levels over four years ago, the group drip-fed a string of EPs and singles over the coming years, in addition to them endlessly up and down the country. Some of the songs that featured on those EPs (‘Prague’, ‘Lost In Paris’) now appear on their debut album ‘That’s Your Lot’ – but there’s a hell of a lot of new stuff, and quite frankly, it’s all the better for it.
The tightly-spun indie swooner ‘Orthodox Man’ is one such song, and that maturity in their writing is obvious from first listen. Technically, it showcases the band operating at full potential, with twisty guitar riffs and Ben’s wobbling and harmonious vocals combining in shimmering fashion.
With the full-bodied version now out in the world, Ben and Frank swung by NME Towers to strip the song back to its core in this beautiful session video. For the new version of ‘Orthodox Man’, the heavenly keys take center stage and Ben’s sublime vocals are able to occupy the space left behind by the jangley guitar, resulting in an unexpectedly euphoric rendition of the indie anthem.
Their rise may have all been a long time coming, but based on the songs they’re now writing – and the sheer passion and belief behind each one – it was well worth the wait.