Maccabees "Given To The Wild"

Another band I hadn't heard of but kept seeing the name.  Ah, you know the story by now...sample, purchase, start the spins... 

British band, six young lads, guitar-driven, third album.  I'm just going to list what I heard through three spins:  Stone Roses, Charlatans, Blur, Muse, some U2 jangle, Bombay Bicycle Club, My Morning Jacket (UK version), Coldplay for the polished production, 21st century alternative version of Roxy Music, and maybe newer bands like Arctic Monkeys or Bloc Party.  Love this first single...



I like the production work with the echoed, multi-tracked vocals.  I also get a thrill from songs that work their way up to a whirlwind of energy, a frenetic finish...you know, the ones that have you eclipsing the speed limit as your foot gets heavy on the gas.  Case in point, the final 75 seconds of this one...




I DARE you to hold still as that track speeds to a close...the hair will stand on your arms!  Cracked up reading the comments with a different spin on my "speeding down the highway" description...like this one:  love the sound orgasm at the end ; or this one, which is more "R" rated but basically says the same thing   2:20. From then and on, my dick was like a out of control hose with jizz. 

Started reading some reviews, some professional, some by people like you and me.  The majority raved on about it, many citing it as an early contender for Album of the Year.  Another common thread was how completely different "...Wild" was from the two earlier releases.  Intrigued, I did something I rarely do with a new discovery, I went backwards.  Yes, I heard that collective gasp from those of you who know me well!  I didn't blindly purchase, no no no, but I hit up the clouds and found the first album.  Would have never guessed it was the same band.  Post-punk-ish with upfront, untreated vocals, very garage band.  Couldn't find the second album for streaming, but dammit, I have to hear it now.  The transition from debut to today may be extremely interesting.

Not sure if this will see the light of day in the States.  It is too smart for anything other than independent radio and I don't know how the hell you'd find it on satellite.  Damn shame...it's a quality recording.