Album Review: Tribes - 'Rabbit Head'
Camden quartet Tribes return from their ten-year absence with new record ‘Rabbit Head’, a triumphant body of work that will remind us all just how good they really are.
The group had taken a break from one another indefinitely ten years ago after lengthy periods of touring following their initial two records. It was not until recently that the group (comprised of Johnny Lloyd on vocals and guitar, Dan white on guitar, Jim Cratchley on bass and Miguel Demelo on drums) had even entertained the notion of returning to the stage or studio as Tribes once again. Thankfully for us, though, they did. They’ve returned with what can only be described as a masterpiece of a record in the form of ‘Rabbit Head’.
The album kicks off in jubilant fashion with the track ‘Hard Pill’, one that has been shared with fans prior to the record’s entirety. There’s a real confidence in this one, with the band showing us all just how good they are, and what they’re capable of. There’s a real pride in the full-sounding instrumentation, from the big jangly guitars to the thudding rhythm section. It’s the perfect album-opener and it holds feelings of celebration that the group are back doing what they love, together.
‘It’s All Borrowed’ follows the opener and becomes the first track that will be totally new to listeners. It oozes confidence with big, thunderous guitar riffs paired with emphatic bass lines, topped off with a stunning vocal performance by Lloyd. Once again, we see an extremely tight performance by the band. This makes for the feel of the record overall. There’s no ego in their performance, just a real display of unity and what bands can achieve if they combine their individual sections to work towards a full and rounded track. This is exactly what ‘It’s All Borrowed’ is: it’s the perfect group number, with each member being as vital as one another.
The second of the three singles released ahead of ‘Rabbit Head’ is ‘Dad, I’m Not A Tough Guy’, which-to put it lightly- has been well received by fans of the group. It begins with a gentle acoustic riff, accompanied by a compelling vocal by Lloyd. The track’s sincerity is undeniable, feeling to be a real outpour of emotion by the frontman. The stark chorus states the title of the song, and Lloyd offers listeners a real insight into the emotions that live within him. After the chorus, the rest of the group add their inputs, and it really feels as though it’s a reflection of them coming together to support their friend, and frontman. As soon as the honesty of Lloyd’s words are heard, the band come to his aid, in musical form. The track becomes a moment of undying purity, honesty and brilliance. With much of the record being upbeat and loud, this one really stands out as one-of-a-kind. It is, quite simply, brilliant.
The track smoothly runs into ‘Earthling’, which is such a tight track. One that gives listeners an insight into the talent of the band. They move to a style which is so elegantly executed. It’s slower than many on the album, and yet it absolutely brims with coolness. They really show themselves off as a tight unit here.
The group have stated that: “There’s a lot more sincerity to the lyrics, it’s a bit more open emotionally, subjects I wouldn’t have encroached upon in my early twenties, a bit more honesty.” This couldn’t be clearer. The group have really ventured down a path of beautiful sincerity.
As the record moves into its second half, the quality does not fade. A real standout from the plethora of great tracks is the brilliantly titled ‘Grandad’s On The Beer’. The music behind the reflective words perfectly sculpts the mood. The group bring things to a climax in all the right places, particularly as the words become more and more based on self-reflection and judgement. “What have you done?” sings Lloyd as the group raise the volume and tension of the number. It really does reflect the words of the frontman, where he explained the deeper lyricism of ‘Rabbit Head’ as a record.
The band play as if they’ve never been away. ‘Rabbit Head’ is a relentless record. The tracks within it are so hard to pick out as individuals as it flows as a body of work so well. This is most evident at the closure of the record. ‘The final two tracks complement one another perfectly.
First of the two is ‘Fade To Credits’ which has a real feel of reflection. The looping guitar riff is almost dream-like and it makes for a really moving piece of music. It flows effortlessly into the ultimate track of the album: ‘Message From The Sponsor’, which is-arguably- the most raw of all the tracks. It is simply an acoustic guitar and a beautifully haunting vocal display from Lloyd. It makes for a track where he once again delves into this world of honesty, both with lyrics and music. The song is stripped right back to what a song truly is, and it’s beautiful.
With this delightful number, ‘Rabbit Head’ is concluded. It’s safe to say, after the brilliance of this one, fans won’t want to wait another ten years to hear more from the group. They really are at their best and it’s evident in every single track.
Words by Matthew Caslin
