The fast growing rush of young Milton Keynes duo Reporters' hype has built in a very short space of time. Now complete with a BBC Introducing session and two singles, Dan Stock and Josh Ringsell’s debut album "Life Isn’t Televised" is due for release on 28th January. I was very interested in listening to see what they had to offer.
Reporters cite an urgent blend of early Libertines and The Black Keys – a naïve but capable stripped back lo-fi effort with elements of blues and rock. Opening with latest single ‘The Feud’, the immediacy hits me with the Pete Doherty-esque vocal style approach but backed up by a catchy chorus full of different hooks weaving within the song; lyrics of being ‘forever young’ and raising the rhetorical questions of asking how it feels to be adored. ‘Lamplight’ was their debut single and appears to be a different version to the single they released first off, nevertheless, it’s a true, honest song full of youthful innocence with the opening line ‘I am a man without ambitions or plans’ though in some places the guitar lacks clarity due to the scrappy style Dan Stock presents.
‘I’m Blue For You’ is a sweet modern day ballad in 6/8 and proves to be a nice chilled track which I class as a ‘crowd-swayer’. I’m a big fan of the Bryan Adams reference in the lyric ‘everything I do, I do it for you’, whether it was intentional or not doesn’t matter, it’s Bryan Adams! ‘Dying To Live’ and ‘What Are You Afraid Of?’ definitely help to resemble the lo-fi bluesy sound they represent although I can’t help but perceive these tracks as fillers, an EP of five strong tracks would prove better in my own opinion. ‘Dying To Live’ has a great tribal drum beat that flows the album through.
‘Can’t Contain’ is a frantic blast of pure energy. It’s so ballsy. Carried by a punchy guitar riff, the cocky lyrics proclaiming to ‘stop acting like you know me’ with the indecisive chanty chorus ‘Damned if I did, damned if I didn’t..’. Stock’s vocal phrasing gels really well with Ringsell’s powerful drumming.
My favourite track from the album is the last track ‘Have You Heard The News?’, a melancholy bittersweet love song completely contrasting from the other songs but works so well adjacently with them. The lyric content is years beyond their age with the grabbing line of ‘Lennon is dead the weatherman said it’s looking like rain’, it’s honest and effective.
Overall, the album thematically displays raw emotion and the innocence of longing for something else. The guys are very capable and I expect only better things from them in the future.
Reporters - Life Isn't Televised
Out of 10: 7/10
Written by - Courtney Askew-Conti
Follow / [FACEBOOK]
Reporters cite an urgent blend of early Libertines and The Black Keys – a naïve but capable stripped back lo-fi effort with elements of blues and rock. Opening with latest single ‘The Feud’, the immediacy hits me with the Pete Doherty-esque vocal style approach but backed up by a catchy chorus full of different hooks weaving within the song; lyrics of being ‘forever young’ and raising the rhetorical questions of asking how it feels to be adored. ‘Lamplight’ was their debut single and appears to be a different version to the single they released first off, nevertheless, it’s a true, honest song full of youthful innocence with the opening line ‘I am a man without ambitions or plans’ though in some places the guitar lacks clarity due to the scrappy style Dan Stock presents.
‘I’m Blue For You’ is a sweet modern day ballad in 6/8 and proves to be a nice chilled track which I class as a ‘crowd-swayer’. I’m a big fan of the Bryan Adams reference in the lyric ‘everything I do, I do it for you’, whether it was intentional or not doesn’t matter, it’s Bryan Adams! ‘Dying To Live’ and ‘What Are You Afraid Of?’ definitely help to resemble the lo-fi bluesy sound they represent although I can’t help but perceive these tracks as fillers, an EP of five strong tracks would prove better in my own opinion. ‘Dying To Live’ has a great tribal drum beat that flows the album through.
‘Can’t Contain’ is a frantic blast of pure energy. It’s so ballsy. Carried by a punchy guitar riff, the cocky lyrics proclaiming to ‘stop acting like you know me’ with the indecisive chanty chorus ‘Damned if I did, damned if I didn’t..’. Stock’s vocal phrasing gels really well with Ringsell’s powerful drumming.
My favourite track from the album is the last track ‘Have You Heard The News?’, a melancholy bittersweet love song completely contrasting from the other songs but works so well adjacently with them. The lyric content is years beyond their age with the grabbing line of ‘Lennon is dead the weatherman said it’s looking like rain’, it’s honest and effective.
Overall, the album thematically displays raw emotion and the innocence of longing for something else. The guys are very capable and I expect only better things from them in the future.
Reporters - Life Isn't Televised
Out of 10: 7/10
Written by - Courtney Askew-Conti
Follow / [FACEBOOK]
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