Album
Spring King
A Better Life
August 31 2018 (Island)
8/10
Words: Richard Cobb
Spring King’s 2016 debut ‘Tell Me If You Like To’ was like an erratic puppy bolting out of an open door and running headfirst into a busy road without thinking twice because it didn’t know any better. Whilst there was moments of brilliance, it felt a bit unbalanced and patched together.
There’s a good bit of risk-taking on the Macclesfield alt-rockers' second outing, ‘A Better Life’, with an unexpected distant saxophone opening proceedings and a healthy amount of piano dotted throughout the 14 songs; a record where drummer/ vocalist and linchpin Tarek Musa leads from the rear rather than dominating on this overall more collaborative effort.
‘Animal’ has hints of Queens of the Stone Age about it with the drag racing rhythm section and infectious high pitched melodies at the chorus. The QOTSA vibe carries on throughout the album, particularly ‘Echo Chamber.’ This track may have been lost to a wall of noise on the band’s first album, but things are slowed down a notch which makes the many elements present in the song much easier to digest. ‘Ready For War’ is already a live favourite having experienced it first hand earlier this year. It’s a memorable song with a hint towards the sound of their debut, but more polished vocals on display with the recording more than doing the live version justice.
Already released tracks ‘Paranoid’ and ‘The Hum’ slot in perfectly just prior to the midway point in the album and round off a very strong start with their carefully constructed toe tapping and desk thumping qualities.
The second half doesn’t quite sustain the energy and peaks shown in the first half, but it’s not far off. It continues to take risks with sound, as showcased in the haunted house sounding ‘No More’, and slow burning album finale ‘Thunder’, which dances with synths in a dreamy atmosphere to close the door on the album.
‘A Better Life’ is instantly a more cohesive record and altogether more relaxed than its older brother. Though on first listen, there’s not an instant classic like the debut album’s stand out ‘Rectifier’, there’s no shortage of well-structured catchy songs which fans of the band will lap up and newcomers to the band will find this album an easier ride than the first.
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