In case you’ve been living in a very well soundproofed rock for the past few years, And So I Watch You From Afar are an instrumental band from Belfast. Ask anybody who has seen them live what they think and one word will pop up time and time again: loud. I think I should state at the beginning that I am quite a big fan of theirs and, as a result, was greatly looking forward to this album, a follow up from their self-titled debut album. Now it has been out for nine months and has (deservedly in my opinion) been nominated for this years Choice Music Prize.

Since its release last May I have listened to it again and again. I’ve listened to it so many times I invented a game to play whilst listening to it. I won’t bore you with the details but it involves counting riffs four times and seeing if the riff changes at the end (it usually does, I think the ASIWYFA boys like symmetry as much as I do).

The album kicks off with the brilliantly named ‘BEAUTIFULUNIVERSEMASTERCHAMPION’. Fans of the first album will probably note this song isn’t quite as loud and in your face as the opening track on their debut self-titled album, ‘Set Guitars To Kill’. An intricate guitar riff carries the song along but there is no doubt who you are listening to. Any apprehension about the dreaded ‘Second Album Syndrome’ are thrown out the window straight away.

Next up is the (almost) title-track ‘Gang (starting never stopping)’. This song starts at a frenetic pace and doesn’t let up for over four minutes. Then the strangest of things happens. The tempo changes completely and if you listen very closely you can hear words from what seems like an old radio broadcast. Words! In an ASIWYFA song! Whatever next.

The middle tracks continue on in the same vain. If you like your music loud and fast then this is the album for you. ‘7 Billion People All Live at Once’ has more catchy, intricate guitar riffs and even includes a chorus of ‘Bah-Bah’s, getting dangerously close to having lyrics again.

Tracks 6 & 7 are both titled ‘Homes’. The first of these tracks is sub-titled ‘Ghost Parlor KA -6 To…’ and is completely different to anything else this band has produced. For one song, And So I Watch You From Afar transform into a jazz band. After the madness of the first five songs it’s time to take a deep breath before the second part of ‘Homes’ kicks in.

This second part is sub-titled ‘…Samara to Belfast’ and is my personal stand out track on the album. Clocking in at just under 10 minutes, this song showcases everything that is good about this band. Clean and catchy guitar riffs and foot-tapping drumbeats blend with powerful drums and dirty, heavy bass seamlessly as the song ebbs and flows from loud to, well … a little bit less loud.

The last track on the album is the uplifting ‘Lifeproof’. The album ends to the sound of marching drums and whistles which instantly reminds me ‘Carnival De Paris’, the official song of World Cup ’98 and puts me in a good mood for the rest of the day. A brilliant ending to an absolutely brilliant album.

 

Gangs is available to stream for free or to download for €4.99 on the band’s BandCamp.