Following the release of their fourth studio album ‘Thirty-Two’ early last year, Reverend and The Makers are back already with their fifth offering, which comes in the form of ‘Mirrors’. Recorded in Jamaica, the band have headed out on a mission and this time, they’ve done it in exactly their own way.

Amsterdam welcomes the listener to the album, and does so in a euphoric manner. Comparable to something one would come across during the Magical Mystery era of the Beatles, the track takes the landscape in which the listener is situated, wherever that might be, and completely transforms it, leaving them completely immersed in the start of this journey.

Following the opening comes the first track to be shared from the album. Black Widow is simply infectious, with riffs and grooves that cannot be overlooked – it is big and powerful, a mammoth of a track for the band. The track does hold some usual characteristics of the band, however just two songs in it becomes apparent that ‘Mirrors’ is something unlike anything we’ve ever seen before from Reverend and The Makers.

Makin’ Babies solidifies this, it’s a jaunty number which brings a mixture of emotions, mainly joy, but a sense of caution in the verses before bursting into life in the choruses. The track contains a rare romantic sense, the reverend has been known to not stretch the truth about modern day romance and undoubtedly takes a realist approach, but there’s something different here, a shift of approach, a fresh outlook, which will no doubt benefit the band on their fifth album.

Stuck On You begins in ways in which would leave reminiscence of the likes of the Clash, but this is undoubtedly a Rev track, that is unquestionable. Even just a short distance into the album, the sunshine of Jamaica is shining through – it is clear the band have gone away and absorbed as much influence as they could, relaxed, and most importantly, did things their own way.

The Beach And The Sea is filled with a dark lust, which sees Jon and Laura McClure merge together during the verses in ways which only the two of them could. Kept alive and running smoothly by the acoustic guitars, the track is once again immensely different from the band, but in a refreshing sense. Laughter and conversation brings the track to a close in an uplifting manner.

The Trip oozes coolness and charisma, another riff that cannot be ignored features, alongside harmonies and solos – ‘The Trip’ has it all.

El Cabrera, although being written around fifteen years ago when Jon McClure and Ed Cosens first started to test their musical abilities, fits perfectly, matching the overall vibes of the album. It’s a nice touch, and it would have undoubtedly been a shame if this song would have remained undiscovered.

Blue is without a doubt one of the albums’ best numbers, planting itself into your mind and refusing to shift for days. ‘Blue’ is a track that’s full of life throughout every second, leaving you grooving along, sometimes without even noticing – leaving you yearning for more, there’s a high chance this track may feature as one of the most-played in your playlist. If anything, it’s tracks like this that provide us with evidence that Reverend and The Makers are as alive as they ever were, not that you should have any doubts of that in the first place.

Something To Remember is filled with coolness along the same level as that of AM, although one thing that does become apparent from this track, as well as others, is how the band are seemingly comprising more tracks instrumentally, ‘Something To Remember’ doesn’t necessarily feature a large amount of lyrics, but it does however feature waves of music – the band are experimenting, and it’s good to see.

Mr. Glassalfempty is another immensely strong track, featuring the dominant bassline of Millburn-man Joe Carnall Jr, as well as brilliant contributions vocally. It’s once again infectious, with the whole band coming together in the chorus, exploding it into life. The album does undoubtedly see the ‘Makers’ come together more than they ever have before, with each member offering their own contributions and bringing the album alive as a band through tracks such as this.

The Gun has vibes along the likes of a circus or a festival, once again unlike anything that’s ever come from the band before, it can be easily summarised as uplifting, but there’s more to it than that – it appears Reverend and The Makers have started to become comfortable within the places they would once perhaps consider as ‘outside the comfort zone’, and that is a huge, huge triumph.

My Mirror is filled with a dramatic atmosphere, building up to the big finale as the end of the album is on the horizon, Laura rules this track, taking no prisoners. It’s dark, it’s big, it’s a statement of intent.

Last To Know strays from the norm in ways that’s completely unique, many of the fans of Reverend and The Makers know of Jon’s love to pick up an acoustic guitar and play along, usually to the joy of hundreds of fans outside of the band’s gigs afterwards, or even in many fans’ homes. However, we’ve never seen a track poised quite like this one ever before, it’s simple, yet beautifully executed – a gem.

Lay Me Down holds the responsibility of bringing this album to a close, and does so in magnificent style. ‘Lay Me Down’ bursts with character, summarising the album in a way that it deserves.

It takes a lot of courage for a band to stray from the norm in terms of what would be expected from them, Reverend and The Makers have done just that, and with immense success, which is something that deserves a lot of praise – ‘Mirrors’ may take longer to settle in for some, but inevitably, it will be well-received by all in the end.

James Cummins.

@CummyBear