Tribes - Baby

I think I'm correct in saying that I've not yet come across a band who, in the music video to their first single, decided to introduce themselves by getting dressed in drag. Not even the Scissor Sisters. A cynic might say this was merely a gimmick to make them stand out and they'd be right. But standing out in modern music is no easy feat.

Citing their influences as classically Americana as Pixies and Nirvana might come as a surprise for a Camden band - especially given their knack for a slick pop song. Indeed at first it's difficult to decipher just where their musical heroes influenced the band, but there's enough in the way of raw rock power and appeal on this, a solid debut.


They begin promisingly with some 80s chamber-electronics opening 'Whenever', a Depeche Modish hook that returns throughout inbetween some token indie rock. Distortion and colossal riffs certainly do away with any poseur claims, and vocally Johnny Lloyd is pretty faultless. They then put their all into 'We Were Children', one dazzling riff after another giving them their instant classic moment. Nostalgia and adolescence are largely the lyrical themes throughout Baby and there's a certain air of Ziggy Sparrow about 'Corner of an English Field' despite the less-than-intergalactic setting. The vocal delivery (particularly during the bridges) are definitely a Bowie derivative, and...well that's always a good thing.

Fret not ye soft-indie fans, as 'Half Way Home' sees the rockers mellow it out a bit (although there's still a raspy "I'M NOT IN LOVE WITH YOU!" or two thrown in for good measure). It might be more Bloc Party than Beck but I like Bloc Party so there. Hook-laden single 'Sappho' then rejuvenates their best Suede impression, and it's another bonafide gem. 'Himalaya' is as weighty and epically aimed as its title would suggest, and boasts one or two fine catchy moments, but seems a little too indulgent.

"6am. Watch the sun come up" welcomes a typically doe-eyed and gentle 'Nightdriving' that mumbles stereotypical "philosophical" questions ("What use is God if you can't see him?") and the end result is a little ridiculous. I'm almost certain that the chord sequence for Friday I'm in Love makes a cheeky appearance on 'When My Day Comes', but it packs enough energy and vibrancy for it to stand on its own merit. 'Walking in the Street' borrows further from 80s indie rock with another Cure-like sound, before a stargazing vocal surfaces in 'Alone or With Friends'. Sounding quite Tender-circa Blur, it adds yet another slightly half-arsed notch to the bedpost - and the final one comes in 'Bad Apple', which is just...dreary.


There seems to be an overwhelming demand by certain sections of music journalism (let's name names: the NME) to try and lament the so-called death of "guitar music". So every now and again a new young band comes along and the magazine are quite blatant in their, often hyperbolic, praise of them. The sad fact is that, yes, whilst dubstep, electronica and hip hop are very much more popular new ideas at the moment, there's more than enough "guitar music" to go around, but it's mostly lost in an attempt to cater to all audiences. Yuck were a particularly fine example of a great songwriting rock outfit to go largely unnoticed last year - and yet the likes of Viva Brother were given centre stage. The thing that should be mourned here is the failure for media to cover decent songwriting, not seek to replicate certain images and lifestyles with the most obvious 'rock' bands.

That said, whilst Tribes might appear to be yet another of these, they've clearly pinned down a handful of well-written songs here. Sadly though, the genres experimented with here are so done to death lately that it's likely the band will struggle outside of the live scene. And although NME might try their best to convince us that records like these are on par with songs like Where is My Mind? or Starman - really, their review names these - this is ultimately little more than "pretty good". But maybe I'm over-analysing again. It is good.

Rating: 7/10
Highlights: Sappho, Whenever, We Were Children, When My Day Comes
Avoid: Nightdriving, Bad Apple

Artwork Watch: It is the band on a bench and they don't look very tribal and they aren't babies but that's okay.
For fans of: Suede, Blur, David Bowie