If there’s one thing that The Subways have mastered since forming in 2000, it’s the uncanny knack to somehow remain under the radar, even after releasing some of the best material in the U.K. garage rock scene, easily being one of the most underrated bands since the release of their 2005 debut, “Young for Eternity.” With their raw sound on hits such as “Rock & Roll Queen” and “Oh Yeah,” paired with their crazy, and I mean CRAZY shows, The Subways have earned their right to garner the reputation they’ve set for themselves.
With each release, the band has been unafraid to venture into unmarked territory while staying true to their sound, which has worked for the most part. “Young for Eternity” set the tempo for The Subways, while their sophomore album, “All or Nothing,” saw the band take a more pop-punk route. This then broadened in 2011s “Money and Celebrity.” The trend continues in their new self-titled album, but it is evident that The Subways are still dealing with some maturation to a degree.
The record begins with the energetic “My Heart is Pumping to a Brand New Beat.” The Subways have always had a bit of a raw sound, but not quite this raw. The vocals on the track just sound unfinished and are not nearly as pleasing to listen to as what they’ve displayed on some of their other work. Excluding the obscure vocals at the chorus, the song is actually a lot of fun to listen to, but it’s not exactly a song that you’d have on repeat for days at a time.
Later comes “I’m In Love and It’s Burning My Soul,” a heavy rocker with hints of The Vines and Sonic Youth scattered about the track. Vocalists Billy Lunn and Charlotte Cooper’s chemistry is evident here and the signature guy-girl vocals that The Subways have sported since their conception is as alive as ever.
Speaking of the guy-girl vocals, there is no other song on the album that can replicate the rugged, ferocious sound of “We Get Around,” which is reminiscent of The Subways’ earlier days. Lunn takes the reigns early, while Cooper rocks the chorus and it’s absolutely insane. “We Get Around” is pure rock & roll at its finest and will undoubtedly be looped on my computer over and over and over again for days.
One of the more misleading tracks on the record is “Twisted Game,” which actually lives up to its name very well. Things were pretty twisted for the first few seconds of “Twisted Game,” while the intro sported a borderline techno beat, but then the guitars came in and things got wild. Screaming isn’t always an attractive trait in music to some people, but Billy Lunn’s screaming absolutely works here. This isn’t the kind of song that’s going to give you any goose bumps, but it’s definitely one that will get you out of your seat and losing your mind (in a good way).
If you’ve never heard of The Subways, you need to change that. Everyone loves dancing around to hard rock in the privacy of their own living space every once in a while, and if you’re looking for more modern rock & roll, look no further than The Subways. They’re one of the few truly talented rock bands out there still going nuts, both in and out of the studio, and they’re in their prime. Though they’re raw, it is absolutely essential to have at least a couple Subways songs on your iPod for when you want to just rock out.
My rating: 7/10
The Self-titled album The Subways was released February 6th, 2015.
