The Kabeedies – Soap

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The Kabeedies – Soap
9/10

When I was preparing this album review I realised that I am in my fifth year of writing for various sites – a pretty scary thought! The reason this sprung to mind was that back in 2007 was the first time I wrote about The Kabeedies. It seems strange to think that they have really been around that long. I have always had a soft spot for the band, especially in the live arena. In the early days and on the debut album they were almost like a guilty pleasure, but they have slowly matured as people and artists, from the gangly, somewhat awkward call-and respond-band into a fully fledged outfit you ignore at your peril.

There is one damn good reason I have put The Kabeedies on my sound of 2012 list, and that is their new album Soap, their first for Fierce Panda. Sure, at times it’s unmistakeably old-skool Kabeedies, but all the best bits, as on ‘Elizabeth’. Make no mistake, this is a clever, catchy pop record with a twist. As you move further into the record you’ll encounter ‘Bones’, one of the most haunting tracks I have heard in a long while. ‘Santiago’ won the rebel playlist on BBC6 Music last year, and its fusion of Latin beats and horns will surely shine bright over many-a-festival stage again this summer. This is the track that probably best showcases the band’s live energy best, alongside ‘Come out of The Blue’. Some may find this a slight, bubblegum pop track, but I would suggest you actually listen closer to what is going on – loads of harmonies and percussion abound throughout.

The lead single ‘Eyes’ carries on in a similar vein, and the band have made a fantastic video with the very talented Spindle Films, which you can watch below. ‘Underfloor Lover’ is fast becoming one of my favourite tracks on the album, however as good as it is, there is something so deeply personal about the album closer ‘LT’ that takes the whole record to a higher echelon. With its lo-fi sound, it closes another chapter in the ever-evolving journey of a band that’s proved so many people wrong. I take my hat off to the band, as this album achieves what so many strive for but fail to create – an epic pop record of both substance and credibility.

This drops Monday, 23rd January on indie tastemakers Fierce Panda. The band take to the road through February, see website for details.

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The Kabeedies – Bones

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