aaamusic | On 17, Dec 2012

Rocketeer are a British indie five-piece, who have been drinking, writing and performing together since 2007. ‘Sirens + Lovers’ is their debut album, and it features an eclectic concoction of elements and genres. Incorporating parts of Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, Elbow, Ben Folds Five, Mumford and Sons and even Lostprophets, plus more classic alternative influences, Rocketeer have managed to carve out a style that, far from sounding messy and inconsistent, sounds hearty and complete.

Former single ‘The Cowardly Soldier’s Lament’ has a bar-brawl swagger and vocal harmonies very reminiscent of Elbow, while the punk-laced venom of ‘Be Back Home’ recalls Lostprophets at their most accessible. For the most part, Rocketeer make soulful but energetic indie-rock, but often inject other elements to add something additionally creative, such as ska (‘Burning Spices’), drunken piano rock (‘Leave Me’ and ‘Dust’), and Britpop (closer ‘All Slowed Down’).

Frontman Felix Hagan’s features a mighty pair of pipes – part indie baritone, part soulful folk. Tom Heaven’s keys are particularly strong throughout the album, but the guitars occasionally flourish with little spiky riffs or indie jangle.

‘Sirens + Lovers’ is a brilliant debut album from a promising UK indie band, coming at a time when British indie is in need of something a little more playful, with most other bands of this sort having began to take themselves too seriously, with misguided experiments into the avant-garde (particularly into 80s avant-garde).

★★★★★

Clive Rozario