White Belt, Yellow Tag - Methods

  by Adrian Huggins

published: 13 / 5 / 2010

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There has been quite a lot of interest in the North East surrounding White Belt, Yellow Tag. As a fellow Yorkshire man, I do feel the need to point out though that both its founding members are both from South Yorkshire and this is also where most of ‘Methods’ was recorded. It was, however, while they were both based in Newcastle that the pair met at a local recording/rehearsal studio. Ripples quickly ran through the local Newcastle music community about this new band as both its co-founders are well known names there. Justin Lockey was the bassist with Yourcodenameis:milo and Craig Pilbin was the singer/guitarist with Left at Montreal. Now joined by former Cooper Temple Clause drummer Tom Bellamy, the band have released their much anticipated debut album and the wait is over. It was a really worthwhile wait as well it seems. Nowhere near as rambunctious and chaotic as either Cooper Temper Cause or or Yourcodenameis :Milo, White Belt, Yellow Tag have created a really grandiose sound. It is hard to imagine that it was originally just based around two guys and a studio. Having already been compared to the likes of Echo and the Bunnymen and Doves, it is quite clear to see how they get those comparisons, I’d also add Athlete and even Coldplay to that list as well, particularly at moments in Pilbin’s vocals. What sets White Belt Yellow Tag apart from all these to me is both an underlying humour and intensity. They have that booming sound that isn’t loud. It just makes you sit up and notice without having to resort to volume or pace, and then it grabs you and pulls you in effortlessly. Songs like ‘Tell Your Friends (it all worked out)’,‘News’ and ‘It’s a Long Way, Don’t You Fall Behind’ really stand out as songs with a power that lifts them way above their peers. A really patient and refined quality runs through all the songs and they never try to make things louder or quieter just for the sake of changing things up a bit. Their power and the way they way the songs brim with confidence maybe draws comparison to Radiohead, although it doesn’t necessarily sound that similar at any point. Current single ‘Always and Echoes’ sounds just huge. It is a song that will soon be everywhere with its soaring guitars. Already all over the music channels, at least when I switch on, it also has a cracking video, only made better by the description of it in the press release from drummer/co-founder Lockey who compares the video to “what would happen if you force fed a fat kid loads of bags of skittles then punched him really hard in the stomach” – tell me you don’t want to go and see that video! The second song I ever heard by this band is ‘You’re Not Invincible’ and I really think this is the song that will blow this band right up and give them the status they deserve. It is a truly beautiful song. As it transcends so much out there, if that song isn’t everywhere by the end of the summer I will have to come round and have a word with the entire population of the music consuming public – well the ones with so-called taste that is. While the whole album is stunning, that one song really encapsulates White Belt, Yellow Tag’s sound and is what makes them unique. The best thing about the album is that all the other songs belong up there, ‘Methods’ is a real album of substance and I could see this being a classic British album in years to come. Please go and try it.

Track Listing:-

1 Remains
2 Tell Your Friends (It All Worked Out)
3 You're Not Invincible
4 It's a Long Way Don't You Fall Behind
5 Where Echoes Land
6 Always & Echoes
7 So Try My Enemies
8 We All Have Sound
9 News
10 Ode
11 Same Clothes, Same Life
12 Careless Talk and Sinking Ships
13 Control, Design & Innovation
14 Postcards
15 146 Ways To...
16 Picture All the Same
17 Song About Growing
18 You Have No Friends
19 Of A...

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