Catfish and the Bottlemen
The Ride

Among the most talked-about new acts from the United Kingdom, Catfish And The Bottlemen arrive at their second full-length effort with this "The Ride," just under two years after their highly successful debut "The Balcony."

In the meantime, they won a Brit Award in 2016 for Best British Breakthrough Act, and a BBC Introducing Award in 2014, along with a very successful tour. Needless to say, expectations were sky-high for this second album, and the Bottlemen nearly met them completely.

"The Ride," in fact, is a good record, at times even excellent. In fact, to be honest, this second effort is even more sonically consistent, with tracks sounding more cohesive and blended together, and the quartet's writing seems more unified, yet still fresh and brilliant. "Soundcheck" is undoubtedly an excellent single (featuring a lively pre-chorus that showcases the band's knack for crafting the perfect hook at the right moment), equipped with a liberating and instantly catchy refrain, but the rest of the album is not short of gems either.

The work opens immediately with the best song of the batch, the splendid "7," which was rightfully released as the second single. Everything is exactly in its place in this splendid Brit rock gem: from the engaging guitar riff to the excellent performance by frontman Van McCann, who continues to resemble a more mature and less flamboyant Luke Pritchard.

"Twice," "Postpone," and "Emily" offer a sparkling and precise pop rock that rarely bores, while the shift towards mid-2000s pop-infused Oasis with "Oxygen" stands out, a sort of updated and refined "The Importance Of Being Idle."

The two acoustic moments of the batch, "Glasgow" and "Heathrow," are raw and beautiful, breaking the rhythm without causing boredom, leading into "Red," which raises the guitar volume and features a surprisingly richer arrangement, opening up intriguing possibilities for the future. The album closes with the good Britpop of "Outside," with McCann once again in the spotlight.

"The Ride" is a worthy sequel to "The Balcony," which will contribute to consolidating the band's success in their homeland and maybe attract some new fans; anticipating with curiosity a future evolution in the boys' sound that could open up very interesting scenarios. For now, we enjoy them as they are: lively Britpoppers still somewhat nostalgically anchored to the '90s, but with class.

Best track: "7"