Battle - Break the Banks

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 27 / 8 / 2007

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Review

At last the full debut album from South East' London band Battle has arrived. While the mini album ‘Back to Earth’ was a great debut, I didn’t expect their full album to be shaped in quite the way it is. It is absolutely amazing, I have always had a soft place in my heart for Battle, and they don’t disappoint on this at all. ‘Break the Banks' opens with the recent and limited to a mere 500 only 7 inch single, ‘The Longest Time’ which starts off sounding like the Beatles’ ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ from ‘Revolver’ before a chunky riff cuts in. This is an Anthem with a capitol A, a song that the Bunnymen and Julian Cope would both be proud of and with added hints of early U2. On this Battle are a band to believe in. The second track is ‘Negotiation’ which is much more moody. A different sort of number, it is reminiscent of Editors or a far superior Coldplay, A keyboard based number with a fast ongoing beat, it goes straight into the third track which is a re-recording of their long out-of-print second single, ‘Demons’. It is a perky little number and is both street wise and modern. A song for young and old alike, it is a song to make you feel alive. ‘Paper Street’ is sung by singer Jason Bavanandan in a way that Jarvis Cocker or Pete Doherty would be proud of. It is sung in a narrative way and, full of balls, reminds me of how great British Sea Power were at the start of their career. ‘North Sea’ is truly great story telling, recalling a perky Prefab Sprout, while ‘Looking for Bullets’ is more doomy and laid back in an Interpol/Chameleons style. ‘History’ is lighter hearted with a great groove, and, quite summer filled, is a song full of joy. ‘The Time for Talking is Almost Over’ is more downbeat with a decent hook. The vocal by Jason is almost whispered to start. It is again narrative-based and sounds like Prefab Sprout. ‘Sit With Me’ is upbeat in sound and its music again recalls the Chameleons. Jason’s vocals here are like Mark Eitzel. ‘The Other Way’ sounds like a news report delivered with speed and towards its ends sound like Editors. This is a brilliant album from a great London band. Embrace them now please. You won’t be sorry. It is an album that Battle should be proud of.

Track Listing:-

1 The Longest Time
2 Negotiation
3 Demons
4 Paper Street
5 North Sea
6 Looking for Bullets
7 History
8 The Time for Talking Is Almost Over
9 Sit with Me
10 The Other Way

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