Peace - In Love

This last week has seen the release of Peace's debut album In Love and already they've enjoyed considerable success, taking into account the fact that they're just four lads from good old Blighty. NME lauded them as "Britain's best live band", giving the album a 9/10 and finishing with "this is their time". None of that is misplaced. They do rock anthem in a whole new way. Take Follow Baby, for instance. No guitar-shredding solo, no moments of rock 'n' roll diva behavior, but it manages to combine the rock 'n' roll lifestyle with surprisingly thoughtful lyrics, like "I'm scared to die but maybe a faithless bribe could save me".

The title of the album encompasses everything it's about; first love, awkward crushes, teenage fantasies and lust. The subject of love and all its friends may be a bit overdone by now, but because it's so universal it can never get old - the trick is finding an unexplored niche. That's pretty much what Peace have done. They've taken the gawkiness and obsessiveness of teenage love and turned it into something that seems glamorous and really damn awesome. Float Forever is an example of the "lighter in each hand" kind of song, but the tone is something completely different; it pleads with you to trust them, despite all your faults. I don't know about you lot, but I'm definitely willing to do so. 

The band themselves are also "rock and roll" but with a twist. The line up is Harrison Koisser doing lead vocals and guitar, his brother Sam Koisser on bass, Doug Castle on guitar and Dominic Boyce on drums. Even the way they dress isn't quite right for a rock band (in the Follow Baby video Harrison is wearing a green be-sequined top under a leather jacket with Marilyn Monroe on the back) but it works so well. They're not just a pretty face either, they're clearly highly intelligent and very well spoken, which is something you're lucky to find in people that cool. And there's something slightly odd and disconcerting about their music videos. Bloodshake takes psychedelia as an inspiration and as a consequence is hard to fathom. Wraith sees the boys staring nonplussed straight past a pair of scantily clad women that have the incredible ability to move their bums independently of the rest of their bodies. But again, it all comes together in a beautifully quirky and individual way.

These guys are definitely destined for something big, and if they don't get it by the end of this year, I'll eat my hat.

Rating: 9/10

Recommended tracks:

Toxic (with Lucy Rose on back up!!)

Higher Than The Sun (")

Waste Of Paint