Album Review: Indoor Pets - 'Be Content'
It seemed at one point that ‘Be Content’, the debut album from indie bright sparks Indoor Pets, would never see the light of day. This band have already faced numerous trials and tribulations that would have easily broken any other act.
This Kent four-piece showed the will to defy the odds and have been rewarded, ‘Be Content’ is easily one of the best debut LPs you will see this year.
Made up of Jamie Glass, Ollie Nunn, James Simpson, and Rob Simpson, Indoor Pets make it clear they don’t want to be tied down to one genre, using ‘Be Content’ as an opportunity to explore new sounds.
There is barely chance to take a breath within the first five songs, with ‘Pro Procrastinator’ the perfect example of the fast rock that this band have become notorious for.
This band’s sound is heavily influenced by late 90’s rock, as well as Glass’ ‘Americanised’ vocal style, no more prominent than on album track ‘Couch’ which is heavily reminiscent of the likes of Weezer.
As you reach the halfway point of the LP, you begin to get a feeling where the album is heading, before being sent the opposite direction by the atmospheric ‘Heavy Thoughts’ and the self-described “emotional core of the album”, the frankly brilliant ‘The Mapping of Dandruff’.
This lovelorn-inspired pop hit shows a completely different side to anything we’ve seen from the four-piece, opening new avenues going forward which proves an exciting prospect going off the back of these three minutes and six seconds.
Even songs released previously are given a new lick of paint, making sure that this full LP feels fresh and avoids the stagnation that comes with some debut albums that already feel too familiar before it's even released.
The main message that Indoor Pets portray to me is one of social exclusion and the acceptance and even playing on being that person who is always on the edge of any party. I am certain that ‘Be Content’ will deservingly bring into the juxtaposition of the being the popular ones, and all the hurdles they’ve faced before, truly washed away and begin on the path to untold success.
Words by Danial Kennedy