The Kabeedies - Soap Album Review

By Rhys Milsom / February 8, 2012

rating: 4

I€™ve always wondered whether a band hates it when a review of their work is started by referring to one song of theirs that everyone knows. One song that, while perhaps the band didn€™t think it was their best, made big inroads for them in the industry and resulted in them achieving a much bigger fan-base and thus, more success. I think it would get on my nerves a bit, that€™s all. Because, after all, if it was my band I€™d want people to know we€™ve written more than just one song and it would annoy me, people bringing up the song all the time. No, don€™t worry, I€™m not talking about The Automatic here (remember them?), I€™m talking about a band who, for most people, first entered your lugholes when you were lounging around in front of the telly and the Xbox Kinect advert came on. The song that was featured in that advert was called €˜Come On€™ and it was by a band called The Kabeedies. Pretty funky name. Made up of three guys and one girl (woman), they€™re a band who quote a range of pretty big influences: Black Flag, Death From Above 1979, Talking Heads, Blondie. And that€™s just a few I€™ve quoted who I particularly like; the band have got a lot more. The band have released one previous full-length in 2009. The breezy, fun, catchy release that was Rumpus, and have also released a few 7€, most notably Treasure Hunting, Little Brains and Come Out Of The Blue. Rumpus is the reason why I would be annoyed if I was in this band and people only knew you for the Xbox advert, as Rumpus made a big impression in indie/pop circles: it was voted #9 in Artrocker€™s top albums of the year and saw the band tour hectically, playing at Latitude and Hamburg€™s Dockville Festivals and also playing with bands such as Everything Everything, Darwin Deez, Hurts and CSS. The band has stated that Soap is based around an idea that it would be a catharsis for the band after Rumpus, effectively washing-off what they had done with that album, and starting again. Seems like a refreshing idea. But is it an idea that will work for the band? Well, after listening to this album for the last few days I can firmly say that it€™s a resounding yes. The band have captured the fizz and summery feel that Rumpus had, but this time around they€™ve managed to sound more grown-up and have created a more focused sound than before. The Boy With The Bad Mouth combines lovely, soft guitars and a bouncing bass-line, along with catchy drums and a gorgeous glockenspiel for a bright, beguiling effect. The male and female vocals work well together, entwining and loosening around each other, and the lyrics of €˜He had love for his mother / He had love for his queen / He had love for his father / He had love for his queen / He had love for his girlfriend when he was 16€™ will stay in your head long after the track€™s finished. Drowning Doll shows Katie, the vocalist, at her charismatic best. It€™s hard not to think of her smiling and dancing happily while she sings on this track, with the crowd joining in: it€™s a real shining light on this album, the way she seems to really enjoy what she does. That€™s not to say the rest of the band don€™t, she just comes across in a more significant way. Her vocal style emanates enjoyment and it€™s hard not to enjoy yourself while listening, because of this. The guitars on this track are impossibly catchy. The drums patter away in the background, creating even more rhythm and the harmonising of male/female vocals work really well again, too. Eyes, the lead single, is a gentle, melodic track that captures the best moments of Rumpus in a concise, more experienced way. The brass section here, accompanied with a chunky bass-line, is especially impressive and when it is taken over by the vocals it assures the listener that the band really know what they€™re doing as the vocals add even more melody. The vocals are, again, impossible not to sing along to and the final instrumental section of the song displays a more drawn-out aspect to the band we haven€™t seen. These tracks are just personal highlights on what is a very strong album. I dare you to listen to this band and not find them extremely catchy and good at what at they do. They€™re on tour right now so if they€™re playing near you, go and see them. You won€™t be disappointed. Not on the basis of this, anyway. The Kabeedies new release 'Soup' is available from February 27th.