The Cornerstones - ‘Stand In Line’ album review

‘Forget about the love we have found, forget about the movements you make’: ‘Drag Me Down’, the first track on The Cornerstones’ new album, is a song that reminds you of musical movements gone by. Their album, ‘Stand in Line,’ has hints of Brit-Pop and Mod-Rock, intertwined with a definitive sound.

If you didn’t know who the band were, then sat down and listened to this album, you might think it’s just another Stone Roses, Oasis or The Who mp3, but no, The Cornerstones have produced an album that, although similar in sound to their roots, creates a musical infused haze reminiscent of ‘90s Brit and Mod rock brilliance. The four piece from West London are part of an increasing new wave of bands that are gracing our pubs and small gig venues around the country, performing in the same places as the likes of Oasis and The Who during the start of their careers.

This masterpiece, ‘Stand In Line’, progresses track by track, bringing in different types of genres – the second track, ‘In My Mind’, for example, resembles the sounds of American rockers, Goo Goo Dolls. The halfway point of the album, ‘End Of Everything’, is a definite highlight: An Arctic Monkeys come The Strokes style track, it musically takes you away to a different place to some of the earlier songs. ‘End of Everything’ has an iconic electronic sound that is native to some of The Strokes highly regarded tracks. Vocally, it sounds different as well – with a more strained voice, again like Julian Casablancas, which fits in perfectly with the backing sound behind him.

“Send me into space, take me from this place, then smack me in the face” – the ninth track on this album is by far my favourite. The opening lyrics can be taken for a variety of meanings, but when I heard the words, I immediately thought of a relationship gone by where, falling for a girl, she took me to another planet, then (as it literally says) ‘smacked me in the face.’ Musically and vocally this song could almost be from outer space, not in the sense it’s futuristic or has a hint of dubstep in the track, it simply sends you into a trance where you feel like you might be on another planet.

This album by The Cornerstones (which hasn’t been set a release date yet) is definitely one to watch out for. It transports you through different musical genres, whilst still retaining its Brit-Pop and Mod-Rock roots, modernising both genres, bringing them into the new century.

Tom Eastwood