THE MACCABEES – GIVEN TO THE WILD
Released 9th January 2012 (Fiction Records)

Words: Tom Willmott

About this time of year, statistics of the previous twelve months’ album and single sales are released and – when all is revealed – the verdict usually seems to be along the lines of “guitar music is dead”, and other such obituaries that lazy journalists resort to on an annual basis. Anyway, luckily, the latest effort from five-piece The Maccabees will prove the cynics wrong, as it appears they have nailed their career- defining record.

They have come a long way from the days of their Post-Libertines sounding debut to the experimental somophore “Wall Of Arms”. “Given To The Wild” combines the best of both worlds, offering even more vibrant sounds with great song structures thrown in for good measure. “Child” is a great example of this, creating a chilling, climactic atmosphere; and further down the track list, you’ll find tunes such as “Ayla” and “Go” that invoke comparisons with Radiohead or Arcade Fire. But then again, this album is about a band finding their own sound, whereas five years ago, you probably wouldn’t have expected these guys to be pushing the boundaries. “Pelican”, the first single to be taken from the record, is possibly the stand out moment, with clever harmonies and great instrumentation throughout, clearly showing why it deserves all the radio airplay it has received so far. Credit is also due to the guitar-emphatic “Unknown” and “Slowly One”, which enhance this album.

Essentially, this is the record that will take The Maccabees to the next level. Expect them to be frequenting the festivals this summer, and also witness them upgrade to a new set of venues. It seems for a while, indie music has been looking for a big hitter, packed with a suitable amount of anthems that thousands will latch onto. The Maccabees may have just ended that search.