ALBUM REVIEW: The Bedroom Hour - 'Hinterland'

Rating:

It’s amazing when you consider the amount of millions of pounds floating around the music world, with big money record deals being signed left right and centre. However, some unsigned acts rely on the faithful support of their fans to raise funds to pay for gigs, and even albums. The Bedroom Hour are a prime example of that and, after their debut EP Themes, here they are gearing up for the release of their first album. This five-piece band take their influences from the likes of Joy Division, Simple Minds and Pink Floyd. However, while fusing the enigmatic energy from these artists, they’ve managed to create their own unique style by blending that into this LP, spanning 11 tracks.

And in some respects it’s been a long-awaited album after Themes managed to provoke and endure so much emotion in a short listing of six vibrant tracks. Their high energy and contemporary feel manages to set new standards in the pop/rock scene, as the lighter touches of psychedelic guitar/synths – similar to the iconic Joy Division – open our minds to a state of calm. The sounds are also reminiscent of the Doves, Interpol and Death Cab for Cutie, particularly in tracks ‘Sea Without Water’ and ‘Ocean’ which suck you in with their combination of charmed lyrics and alluring chords. In ‘Nocturnal’ and the album’s title track, The Bedroom Hour treat us to a thing of beauty as each track displays an array of mixed tempos and tones to produce a delightful listen.

The percussive beat in ‘Heart Will Haunt’ sits perfectly as Stuart Drummond’s forceful voice pushes all boundaries of his vocal ability with softer and more peaceful edges, before exploding into a sumptuous melody. However, ‘Broken’ strikes the Joy Divison keys with a dark, drowning bass combined that is maintained before blossoming into a glorious anthem with a hefty climax, returning the to deep lying bass to close. Piano keys are a welcome and a unique twist, which separate this five-piece from your usual ‘band’. The sharp and raw sounds pose for a deep meaning as Drummond’s voice bounces from key to key in ‘Ghost Of A Smile’. But then the dark side is lost as a canny riff in ‘WW/Me’ softens any blow dealt by the previous tracks. It’s guitar intense as it whisks you through what is arguably the best song on the LP, and then from an airy track a building block is put in place to form ‘I See Suns’, which is much heavier, but Drummond’s powerful voice makes mincemeat of the whole hearted harmonies.

It’s a gutsy album which closes with ‘A Map Made’, and that is no exception to an album which includes a real mixture of tracks that can only be appreciated when you are chilling with full focus on Hinterland. Then and only then is it a thing of beauty. Hinterland is out on July 14th and – quite frankly – stardom beckons, so hold tight as it’s sure to be a whirlwind ride. The Bedroom Hour are premiering Hinterland on July 12th at Manchester’s Day and Night rooms – tickets are on sale now and priced at £5. You’d be mad to miss it. Purchase tickets click here: http://www.nightnday.org/event/the-bedroom-hour/