Battle - 'Break The Banks' (Transgressive) Released 03/09/07

Were there ever to be a indie rock party, Battle would be that little bit different, that little bit aloof from the crowd. While there may be drunken debauchery going on it’s easy to picture the quartet gloomily staying apart from everyone else. Battle’s music is not jaunty tales of booze, drugs and woman. Battle’s music is serious, grim stuff, delivered with a frown on its face and a snarl in its voice. That’s not to say this is a record lacking in humour or wit, it’s just that anyone looking for some light Saturday night pre night out listening is likely to be taken aback.

Vocalist/guitarist Jason Bavanandan has already established a reputation for being both charismatic and mouthy, venting from time to time. It’s no surprise that this debut album is also full of aggressive intent, with huge echo heavy guitars and sharp, clipped post punk rhythms. The genesis of Battle may come from the likes of Talking Heads and XTC but there’s a smooth production present too, that indicates the quartet have an ear for arena crushing rock. And there’s something admirable about Bavanandan’s oblique lyrics, and subject matter that touches on war, religion, the media and inner struggles. In an age where many artists take the straightforward path, Battle’s dedication to out of the way routes is worthy of praise.

Except… For all Battle’s earnestness, there’s something a tad pompous and dull about their music. Certainly, there are moments when everything clicks, all the fire and brimstone burning brightly, such as on the intense, driving ‘Demons’ or the more quieter and melodic Coldplay esque ‘Paper Street’. Then there’s the epic finale of the religion baiting ‘The Other Way’ on which Bavanandan’s vocals go from defeatist to defiant, the music from a genteel melody to a stirring climax. “I’m just a fool, hanging on a yo-yo” is Bavanandan’s cry as James Ellis’ guitar work squeals. It’s a thrilling conclusion.

Yet, those thrills are sadly lacking throughout the earlier moments on the album and that is what lets Battle down. At worst, they come across like a low rent Bloc Party, complete with solemn vocals and jagged guitars, yet lacking the cutting edge that Kele Okereke and Co have. The low key guitar and piano pop of ‘Negotiation’ comes close to the myopic whimsy of Razorlight, only without the, ahem, dangerous vibes. Yes, it’s that dreary. ‘North Sea’ is simply a disaster, with Bavanandan’s vocals being buried underneath a turgid beats strong tune that seems to drag on forever while the cynical, anti war ‘Looking For Bullets’ suffers from some over done lyrics, as well as an attempt to drag out a dance influence. Honestly, crafting a lyric like “Why has this piano been discarded in the rain? Will it ever have a song pass through its chambers again?” is enough to cost ‘Break The Banks’ a star simply on its own.

There’s some nice ideas throughout Battle’s debut but on the whole this is far too leaden to be truly memorable. For all the cleverness at play, ‘Break The Banks’ falls down in the most important category, and that’s having quality tunes to back up their words.