Reviews

Candidates are one of the slickest new bands from Gloucestershire to stumble across my ears in recent history.

One wirey sounding guitar, one drum kit and two voices and that's your lot: a wall of sound of gargantuan proportions.

The music fits entirely with the contemporary music scene.

There's a clear musical similarity with Bloc Party, while the lead vocals stray somewhere between Bloc Party's  Kele Okereke and Idlewild's Roddy Woomble.

Don't say The

Candidates have two concerns. The first and most important is that you don't, under any circumstances, prefix their name with the word "the".

They even dedicate one of their songs names to the issue ('There's No 'The' in Candidates').

Maybe they've worried you might mistake them for a 1972 Robert Redford film.

Maybe they just don't like the idea of being a band with a definite article in their name. (See also Editors and Doves. Don't see also The The).

All grown up

The second concern is that of growing up.

One way or another the theme pervades each song - whether it's in the desire to have a steady relationship ('Let's Pause Time'), coming to terms with the first move from home ('Lost in the City') or wanting to make a real difference ('And So We All Sigh').

The songs show a frustration with youthful paranoia and a desire to escape from just being the same as everyone else - without being able to really work out how to do it.

Unlike the usual whinings of an adolescent band wallowing in teen angst, there is something tangible to these songs' frustrations.

It's not just a case of Kevin the Teenager-ish rants of "This isn't fair" (although the phrase is used in 'Out of my League').

In most of Candidates' songs, "this" is identified as something real.

Look left

'And So We All Sigh' is a perfect example with its attack on left wing idealists.

"Speaking only in left wing clichés isn't going to make anyone listen to what you've got to say" runs one lyric from the song, a line which is soon followed by the slightly trite observation: "Nothing will happen if you don't let it".

The frustration is expressed in other songs too.

'There's No The in Candidates' allows the band to vent its spleen at conspiracy theorists who cover their "eyes to a whole new world of discovering who you really are" because they are too scared to go out and see it. 

He's leaving home

It's also there in 'Lost in the City' which deals with the changes of leaving home and entering an intimidating new, unfamiliar world where the "men are all rowdy……exhibitionists just kicking feet and flailing fists".

The song is all about confronting your fears head on - of being aware that you always feel too young and inexperienced to do the grown up things, no matter when you have to do them.

Hate Self - Hate Self

But the theme is also there is the self-flagellating songs: 'Out of my League' and 'We Don't Change the Lights'.

Both songs are unrelenting tirades of self-loathing.

In the first "I'm out of my depth" is repeated like a pessimist's mantra.

Meanwhile 'We Don't Change the Lights' takes things even further with lines like "I have a record of creating a love that's slightly masochistic".

The song's narrator asks of his lover what's in it for her: "You make my life better/but there's better that you deserve".

It's a bleak interpretation of a relationship by someone totally lacking in self worth.

All aboard the Indie bandwagon

A band like Candidates should normally be approached with caution. There is often something worrying about hipper than thou bands.

The bandwagon jumping, stripped down sound of wire-y indie guitars and post-punk pomposity can seem a little pretentious - especially when accompanied by haircuts straight out of the NME.

What makes Candidates less of a source of concern is their obvious talent for observational song writing.

The band have taken the thoughts, feeling and cares of a world weary young adult and bottled them in a way that many far more successful bands struggle to do.

Home made jamming

Notes on the band's MySpace page explain that the current recordings are merely demos that were interrupted part way through by an unimpressed neighbour asking to keep the noise down.

Which is probably the least rock and roll story you'll ever hear.

Maybe one day we'll hear that Led Zeppelin once interrupted the recording of 'Physical Graffiti' because Robert Plant suddenly realised he'd forgotten to buy some bread and a pint of milk.

Un-rock and roll and the story sounds, the songs cannot help but impress. If this is what the band sound like recording in the front room, what will they sound like in a recording studio.

Which reminds me, has anyone got the number for Abbey Road?

This article is an external contribution and expresses a personal opinion, not necessarily the views of the BBC.

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If you're involved in the Gloucestershire music scene and you would like Stephen to review your music, please feel free to get in touch. Either email gloucestershire@bbc.co.uk or send your album and a bit about yourself to:

BBC Gloucestershire Introducing...
c/o Chris Sandys
London Road
Gloucester
GL1 1SW

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