One to Watch & Review: The Panics - Cruel Guards
- Apr 29, 2009
Video for The Panics' new single Don't Fight It.
Before I get to the album review here's some background information:
The Panics are the latest foreign phenomenon trying to make a name for themselves in the UK. The five-piece band from Perth, Australia have already reached national success in their homeland and are now here for a string of support shows before their own headline tour beginning at the end of May. Spotted playing in a hotel in 2000 by Gaz Wheelan (of The Happy Mondays) and Pete Carroll they were subsequently signed to LittleBIGMAN Records and have been building an impressive list of fans since, including Kings of Leon's Nathan Followill.
Cruel Guards blends contagiously catchy, sun-soaked melodies and basic, chilled out pop rock; it is definitely one for the summer. The slide guitar and subtle hammond organ on tracks like Ruins sounds like it could be from any of The Shins' back catalogue (no easy feat) and the riff on Creak is so addictive you're sure to be humming it for hours. The strings, trumpet and organ are ever present and help to give the album a timeless sound that is sometimes reminiscent of The Beatles' Rubber Soul/Revolver era or The Vines' softer side.
Don't Fight It, the bands first single off the album is a very catchy and accomplished song (as evident by its recent airtime success with support from Radio 2 and XFM), though I feel that you also need to listen to tracks like Ruins or Creaks to give you a better idea of the band's overall sound. The title track is a sophisticated and moving piano-led piece whilst Something In The Garden really brings out the country rock feel that is discretely present throughout the record and seems to have traces of some America or Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young tracks.
Cruel Guards has already been well received in Australia picking up a string of awards including an ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) for Best Adult Contemporary Album. This is a great record and it's only a matter of time before The Panics are making the headlines in the UK. 8/10.
Cruel Guards is released through Publica Records on 1st June.
The Panics' first single Don't Fight It will be available from 18th May.
- For more information and tour dates visit The Panics' MySpace page
