Exit Calm - Exit Calm

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 26 / 4 / 2010

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Review

Exit Calm come from Yorkshire and still remain a secret. They toured with Echo and the Bunnymen last year, and sadly singer Nicky Smith lost his voice before going on stage, but still they shined brightly. On hearing this for the first time it blew me away. On hearing it for the second time, it remained a mind blowing experience. Exit Calm have already delivered one of the albums of the year. Their self-titled debut album opens with 'You're Got It All Wrong', and, like most of this album, it is at just under six minutes in length a long track. It is classy rock ans roll. From its haunting intro, it sounds like a combination of 'A Storm in Heaven'-era Verve and early Bunnymen. Within two minutes of this being on, I was foaming at the mouth, because of how great it was. Nicky's vocal on this is somewhere between Ian Brown and Richard Ashcroft. This is a band to absorb your thoughts and lose yourself in. You know like you uses to feel when you were young and you loved, really loved a band. Exit Calm are this type of band. And to be honest, it is about time, a group came along to make you feel like this again. 'We're On Our Own Again' is long near the seven minute mark. It sounds like Ride's 'Drive Blind', as played by the Verve. By now when listening to it it for the first time I was absolutely wetting myself. It again has touches of elegant Echo and The Bunnymen and also a fine croon to it, which shows the band have lots more up its sleeve. 'When You Realise' starts off in a stoner rock way, with a vocal from Nicky that pulls you in gently. It is the best thing that the Stone Roses never wrote. It has the feel of and grace too of Embrace in their early days. It also has a rawness that recalls a youthfull Bono before he got too political. 'Hearts and Minds', which is their next single and which will come out on red vinyl, again sounds like a classy combination of 'Storm' era Verve and the Bunnymen. 'Don't Look Down' is a slow burner upon which Nicky in his vocals has the feel of an early Ashcroft controlling the crowd. It is graceful and elegant, before it gets so much heavier. 'Forgiveness' is slow, trippy and a song to lose your mind to. It is absolutely lovely. 'Reference' is complete trippy heaven. 'With Angels' has a commanding Bono style vocal from Nicky and wild axe like Verve guitars. 'Alone' moves along like an I Like Trains number and is slow and elegant, but with added grit and swagger. 'Recovery' is influenced by classic Echo and the Bunnymen influenced, a bit like 'Happy Death Men' from their debut album, 'Crocodiles'. 'Serenily' closes the album and is soft and acoustic, a chill out number and as good as the best out there and this fine album.

Track Listing:-

1 You've Got It All Wrong
2 We're On Our Own
3 When You Realise
4 Hearts & Minds
5 Don't Look Down
6 Forgiveness
7 Reference
8 With Angels
9 Atone
10 Recovery
11 Serenity

Band Links:-

https://twitter.com/exitcalm
https://www.facebook.com/exitcalmmusic
http://www.exitcalm.co.uk/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOy4q
https://instagram.com/exitcalm/

Label Links:-

http://store.clubac30.com/
https://www.facebook.com/clubac30
https://twitter.com/clubac30