Listened to Given to the Wild, and liked it.

How I got here and why Given to the Wild will change your life, potentially.

So often you hear of the 'difficult third album' where surely, as an artist, you must break from tradition - not stick to what has previously brought you success.  Often I imagine it being a force external to the artist who utters the suggestion to 'try something new'. I may well be mistaken, I have made mistakes, for more mistakes please continue reading. 


I am no music critic but I know what I like (and what I don't) and I wanted to explain how this record went from zero to hero for me but I just can't seem to get the right words in the right order, so I'll start from the beginning and who knows where we'll end up.


I really like The Maccabees - who for those who don't know - they are an indie rock band who have released three albums so far; Colour It In, Wall of Arms, and their most recent album Given to the Wild.


I first saw them as part of an NME tour of 2006 in my first year of university. I went with my then girlfriend, Alice, on what I assume I (not we) can class as a date! I'd only really heard of The Fratelli's (where the hell did they go?) within the line-up but was pleasantly surprised to encounter not only The Maccabees but also The Dykeenies (Nothing Means Everything, well worth a listen) & Larrakin Love who brought you the infamous (quite literally not) 'Happy as Annie' - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSm_xmWbOeI  - sadly for those who have now discovered this track, I have to inform you that they have now split up.


The Horrors were also there, but they were terrible so I won't post any links for them.


So I was smitten, stood close enough to enjoy the gig without fear of Alice complaining about people barging into her, Orlando Weeks had stolen my ears with his melancholy and hushed tones of lost-love regret backed by catchy chords. Suitably impressed by both their on-stage energy and lyrical qualities I went off to buy Colour It In and I have never looked back. But alas this post is not so nostalgic going forward.

I like miserable music. 

Live, Love and Lose - then you can make music.

So without trying to give an album review, here is my review of the album: It's mind blowing, a lyrical gem, but I still think synths are best left to those who use they wisely.


Given to the Wild was snapped up by eager fans earlier this year having (if you are anything like me) exhausted Bombay Bicycle Club's A Different Kind of Fix. Prior to the getting the album I listened to Pelican, the first single release from the album.

Everyone must have heard Pelican and thought 'wow'.

It was full of harmony, sweetly reminding us of time's winged chariot drawing ever nearer (thanks to Andrew Marvell for that GCSE English reference) - Live life, it's here and now and this is exciting! Surely the rest of the album will follow suit?! 


Alas, Pelican seemed at first listen to be the only track worth listening to again. I discussed my initial reviews with friends that I thought they could have been 'braver' that they venture too far from the catchy riffs I fell in love with and someone had brought a synth to a guitar party - Something was different, and I didn't like it. 


Regardless, I agreed to go with friends to see them in March as they are currently touring on the back of the new album release - secretly (well, not so much now) hoping that they'd suddenly drop all new material and play every song on the last 2 albums, in order.


I don't know what happened but here I am, 6 weeks after my first listen, and I am ready to tell you to return to every third album you have, listen to it all the way through and enjoy it. You may only live once but music can live forever, and the third time's the charm. I'm struggling to source the catalyst for this sudden wave of realisation but the most important thing is that it happened. I am now enlightened and all previous misgivings are forgiven.


The format of any story is to convince you that it's worth reading further than Chapter 1. The album starts brightly and glows throughout with a warmth scarcely felt in the winter. I am not going to go track-by-track, but here are some snippets so you can go and explore further should taste-buds be tempted:

Feel to Follow:

How was I to ever believe it 
It's never too late 
Until it's too late and I'll be stranded 
And I'll need something

Ayla:

It's a weight off my mind I could trust you 

You could tell me it's fine 
I could sew you a stitch and save nine, Ayla 
None more admired and out of soft focused desire 
From honeyed milk to funeral pyre, Ayla 

Glimmer:

In each and every tide things are lost 

Things we must not lose sight of 
No matter if you're tired 
Why suppose oracles can let you know?

To those who haven't listened to The Maccabees I hope that you do now, those words are powerful without melody but are truly brought to life in performance.

The album begins to race away from you and before you know it the CD has stopped and you cant believe you've reached the end, which is the beauty of most great works - no one wants Voldemort to die, but he has to, I suppose.

I'll leave you with this, and a kiss.

Orlando Weeks told the NME: "'Given to the wild' is the first line on the album and was a title idea we had pretty early on. But it wasn't until we'd finished recording that we could come back to it and know that it suited, it just felt right."


So do what he says for all albums you never really bonded with - come back to it and know that it suited, it'll just feel right - potentially it'll change your life x