Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By Nothing But Thieves, RCA Records 2018.
Nothing But Thieves is an English alternative-rock band that has been around since 2012 but their breakthrough came when they signed to RCA in 2014.
Their first releases under their major label were the EPs Graveyard Whistling (2014) and Ban All The Music (2015) which were well received and whetted the appetite for the release of their self-titled album in October 2015.
This debut album entered the UK charts at #7 and peaked at number 3 on iTunes as well as achieving a #1 on the Vinyl Album Charts.
The band embarked on a punishing touring schedule that saw them support Arcade Fire, Twin Atlantic, Young Guns, Twenty One Pilots, and Muse among many other notable acts.
What Did You Think When You Made Me This Way is a superb four -track EP of powerful indie-rock tunes.
The sound is epic and tailor-made for the arenas and festivals that they have been electrifying with their highly energetic performances over recent years.
The songs are built around a heavy bass-led drive that propels them forward.
As a bass player it’s nice to hear this instrument taking a leading role.
The lead single Forever & Ever More, which contains the album title in its lyrics, is a powerhouse rock track that Clash Magazine described as “crunching heavyweight rock” before going on to compare the band with Queens of the Stone Age, with the “blistering energy of early Foo Fighters.”
This is high praise indeed but I think the review pretty well hits the mark.
The second single from the EP, Take This Lonely Heart, is following the first single in its rapid rise up the charts.
In what was probably a very clever move the band acquired the services of BBC1 DJ, Cel Spellman, to play the lead role in their music video for Forever & Ever More.
The video is racking up the views and the single is making all the radio play-lists.
