Kids In Glass Houses
Peace
Transmission Recordings
Four albums in and this band are not nearly big enough for my liking, after consistently releasing brilliant album after brilliant album, catchy single after catchy single too. So here we are with ‘PEACE’, a 35 minute long effort and a complete treat for the ears.
Huge lead singles in the form of ‘Drive’ and title track ‘Peace’ understandably set hopes and excitement high from fans for the fourth chapter in this South Wales quintet’s career. The catchy guitar hooks, sing a long choruses and big drum sound was the KIGH we have all grown to love over the years and would hate to lose. And it is with these two slices of pop punk brilliance that we open this effort creating a strong start.
It is a start that paves the way for the rest of the album with the quintet consistently delivering good songs. ‘Set Me Free’ is moodier in tone than the past two tracks with a start of brooding guitar and pounded drums but by the chorus the party atmosphere is back with high tempo synths and gang vocal lyrics. It’s got a beat that will see you dancing and would be the perfect soundtrack to get you ready for a Friday or Saturday night.
Long drawn out strums and deep constant percussion gives a slightly dramatic Western film feel to the start of ‘VIP’ before quick, high pitched mini riffs come in backing up the brilliant vocals. Whereas ‘Novocaine’ has a more subdued start of pulsing synth backing up the quieter vocals before ethereal guitar comes in. This one has ballad moment written all over it albeit with amore uptempo sound than others but the sing a long feel throughout makes it worthy of being lumped in that category.
The powerhouse that holds all these songs together is the excellent drumming and strong bass lines with everything else built on top of this solid rhythm section it can’t go far wrong. Guitar that sounds like it is trying to escape you and layered vocals emphasising the point of trying to get away on ‘Runaways’ and ‘Up All Night’ sees rock influences, mainly in the style of Fleetwood Mac, being rife from the first chords with a tune bound to get you moving.
‘Black Cloud’ builds with drum beats and an intricate guitar before the faster and louder pop punk chorus takes over, it’s typical trademark KIGH sound with the catchiness. An epic start to ‘Stormchasers’ with piano, crashing drum beats and the huge voice that Philip’s commands in a way to give any song that extra edge when needed. This is one of the classic sing along, teenage anthem-esque tracks that you always get on a KIGH album and yet again it is another good one, sure to go down a treat live.
Final track ‘Nightcrawler’ is softer with a beautiful ambience and the focus fully on the vocals and why not when you have such a brilliant vocalist at the fore. Faintly played drums and slow elaborate guitar creates something wonderful, a heart-breaking love song reminiscent of the 80’s classics brought bang up to date and really wouldn’t seem out of place on a movie soundtrack.
2 years since their last release, the concept album ‘In Gold Blood’, it is clear to see the band haven’t lost the catchiness so prevalent in their well-crafted rock songs but at the same time they sound like a more grown up version of themselves. They have taken all their best bits from the past 3 albums plus their experience and put it all together to create 10 really bloody good songs.
Check out the video for the single ‘Drive’ below:
To find out more about the find visit their website, their Facebook page, watch their videos on theirYouTube page or give them a follow on Twitter – @kighofficial
Credits
Mixtape Couture 