Photo credit: Bournemouthecho.co.uk
Four lads from Sheffield seems a very familiar story which bestows flashbacks to the early 2000s. However, The Sherlocks want everyone to “Live for the Moment” in their highly anticipated debut album.
After seven very hardworking years, The Sherlocks finally released their debut album “Live for the Moment” on August 18th. The quartet from Bolton upon Dearne (Barnsley) are described as a band for the people as their passion and determination displays through their perpetual touring over the years.
The album’s strong opener “Will You Be There?” has roaring drums from Brandon Crook and a dark, electrifying guitar riffs from Josh Davidson. It has a rough edge that many indie records have with its brash bass, but contrastingly, it sounds so polished and fresh like nothing you’ve heard before. “Live for the Moment”, the titular track has been remastered since its original release in 2014 which has sharper tones, but sadly it’s slightly lost their down to earth feel, almost feeling too over-produced. However, its lyricism is relatable in the sagacity that the band have followed their own advice by not “jumping the gun”.
“Escapade” has also been revamped but lead singer Kiaran Crook’s vocal are abundantly raw, demonstrating how far his voice has progressed and strengthened. ““Nobody Knows” is a standout as the band have clearly experimented with their sound, showing they have more to offer. It’s very Oasis-esque with its thunderous guitar riffs and how the track starts to soften towards the end. Kiaran’s vocal seems much gentler on this track, although lyrically, it’s simple.
The Sherlock’s aren’t just a riff-laden band with boisterous choruses. “Turn the Clock” is an acoustic number with hypnotizing, enchanting lyrics. “It’s way too late to clock” is lyric that many people can connect too. On first hearing, you’d expect it to be an early Courteeners b-side, even in terms of songwriting. Surprisingly, a harmonica makes an appearance and it works so beautifully accompanying the drums and a string arrangement to fade out the track.
“Heart of Gold” was first released back in 2015. It has again been given a new lease of life and it works stunningly. The rough edge that we loved when it was first released is still apparent and is my favourite track on the record. The end track, “Candlelight” has an anthemic feel that you could imagine echoing around stadiums in the near future. String arrangements lead out the track again which teases a new direction that the band could possibly go down for the next album.
The Sherlock’s army will certainly not be disappointed with this debut. It’s a solid album and they’ve proved too many that they’re not a one-trick pony. You can clearly hear all the hard work that has gone into this, proving never to give up on something you love.
You can follow The Sherlocks on their website, Facebook, Twitter and Spotify.
By Becky Lumbard