At first glance, Brigade might seem like just another British post-hardcore rock band, but a closer listen reveals a voice in singer Will Simpson that may seem familiar. As brother of former Busted star Charlie, the singer’s family ties undoubtedly invite comparison to Fightstar, despite the fact that unlike their sister (or should that be ‘brother’) band, Brigade have their roots firmly planted in the underground. Their newest release Will Be, Will Be has been released in conjunction with PledgeMusic, an innovative new platform for smaller bands to get their music out there with a little help from their fans.
However, on first listen to Will Be, Will Be, I immediately found myself distracted by the way that the vocals were mixed — seeming out of place and jarring next to the instrumental parts, which provided a handful of exciting moments but a lot of the time felt frantic and messy. The song ‘Laughter Lines’ provides the only real standout track on the album, with the vocals finding their melodic niche for the first and only time backed up by some striking, atmospheric guitar. The lack of memorable melodies throughout the album seems disappointing after some exciting moments on their previous release Come Morning We Fight, with the new album failing to gain momentum until towards the end of the final track, when some impressive Mogwai-esque instrumental posturing is exhibited.
Overall the album seems like it’s missing something crucial. It’s lacking in the melody and personality that bands such as Funeral for a Friend and Reuben brought to the genre back in the mid 2000s, and as a result feels both irrelevant and out of date. It’s not to say that there isn’t plenty of potential there, it’s just that on Will Be, Will Be the various elements needed to make an album great just haven’t quite come together.
Rating: 4/10
Good: Good rhythm section, bass and drums provide the driving force on the album
Bad: Vocals are weak and lyrics seem inconsequential’ songs are forgettable songs
