ALBUM: Broken Hands ‘Turbulence’

Turbulence is the debut album from Canterbury 5-piece Broken Hands. Together, Dale Norton, Jamie Darby, Thomas Ford, Callum Norton, and David Hardstone create rock music with space and psychedelic infusions. The band are growing in popularity thanks to their atmospheric, alternative rock anthems, and live shows which are decked out in “Silver” and “Strobes”.

Album opener ‘Spectrum’ introduces the band’s intense, heavy sound with minimal lyrics and maximum guitar. “I’m off the spectrum” sings Dale Norton, something which is echoed throughout the album – especially on new single ‘Meteor’, with its restless, rolling, bluesy riffs.

‘Should I’ boasts some truly filthy bass and guitar, which listeners will find themselves involuntarily swaying to as Norton contemplates “Should I stay, should I go?”. ‘Impact’ changes the pace with its slower tempo, synthesisers, and melancholy lyrics which anticipate an ambiguous separation: “hold me close and don’t let go”.

The eponymous ‘Turbulence’ and its follow-up ‘747’ are brilliantly swirling, stormy trips for the ears. ‘Four’ hosts more of the band’s heavy, turbulent guitar and Norton’s clear vocals, whilst ‘Who Sent You’ is edgy and energetic, and ‘Collide’ is an exercise in downbeat, slow-building distortion.

‘Death Grip’ is as powerful as it sounds, and is a reaction to breaking away from a guilty vice: “I might have felt it, but I’d rather die than stay and do things your way”. Closing track ‘W.T.L.L’ ranges from quiet and narrative driven, to loud and overflowing with boisterous guitar riffs – an excellent way to end Broken Hands’ exploration of time and space via the vessel of alternative rock.

With producer Tom Dalgety on board (Royal Blood, The Maccabees), Broken Hands are ultimately in safe hands, and will have no difficulty spreading the sound of Turbulence in the right spaces.

Turbulence is released on 9 October via So Recordings.

 

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

 

 

Kate Crudgington

Kate Crudgington

Assistant Editor for Gigslutz (2015-2017) Now Co-Founder, Co-Host & Features Editor for @getinherears