UK’s Things That Go make music with dense sound, forged from pitch shifted delayed guitar arpeggios, droning synthesizer, twangy bass lines and Beach Boy friendly vocal harmonies. All forced through the mold of indie and alternative guitar pop. Live takes for their self-titled debut Things That Go were captured in Leeds and then added (or subtracted) to in further sessions, as well as the band’s individual set ups at home (Mark's Shabby Road and Pete's Lack of Sun Studio). The group started pre-pandemic and finished during the pandemic, which meant that it had to be done this way to some extent, but the band also felt like it was a good way of working.
The nine-song album was pretty much recorded 'in the box', with little outside processing, other than pedals that were used in the original recordings and the odd hardware synth for the live stuff. Plugin chain lengths were, at times, excessive, but the lockdown forced the band to find something to occupy their time with. Mixing was done by members, Matt and Mark, with occasional interjections by Pete and mastering was done in a similar way. Most of the songs started as improvised jams, which were either refined by the three bandmates in a room, or through the sharing of digital files. Musical influences are varied, but there's a lot of ‘80s, indie and ‘90s synth going on, as well as a slight psychedelic edge in places. Animal Collective counts as one influence, as much as in technique and ideas as actual sound. Vocally, The Beach Boys counts as another. You could say Things That Go have one foot in the pop world and one foot in the more experimental. The opening track, “Love we haven’t mastered” has an electric, searing energy, with ear splitting guitar sounds, (or are they synths), accompanied by angelic like singing and a deeper bass part on the keyboards. In a word, the mix of sounds, all the instruments being played and backing vocals are incredible to say the least. It’s hard to pinpoint this early in the record, as to which band or artists to make comparisons to, but if I were to match some up, I would say Radiohead meets The Beach Boys meets Gary Numan? I don’t know, it’s just a thought. The next track “Hotel” has an indie pop approach. The bass and lead rhythm guitars have a clean, unfiltered sound, while the keys play lightly in the background. The singing on this tune is quite good, as are the change ups in tempo – flawless really. I like the ending keyboard parts, too. The opening chords and danceable rhythm to “Loner” immediately remind me of The Smiths, but really c’mon – so many bands have been influenced by them – that’s not to say “Loner” is a rip off song – it’s not. I mean, there can only be one self-deprecating, egotistical English songwriter, right? (Sorry, Moz). Anyway, I hope Things That Go consider my comparison a compliment. The next track “It takes courage” sounds to me like it features some very hard guitar chords to play in its beginning measures. A bit later, synths come in with a heavy sound. Style wise, I think this one has a bit of the psychedelic to it, showcasing spacious, trippy sounds and extra keyboard effects. Another great sounding song in my opinion. “Greta” has a sharper, rocking edge to it – a lot of energy going on here. The band is particularly tight with their playing – great chemistry from start to finish! I would recommend listening to this one for sure. “Hold your eyes” starts off with a more hushed rhythm and subtle style. This is one of the band’s quieter songs. I draw a blank as far as band comparisons. But I would highly recommend listening to this track – it’s magical – the violin/keyboard solo was the icing on the cake for me. Next up is “Loner reprise” – a short, keyboard heavy tune, which also features a rumbling and melodic rhythm section. The group’s longest track, “Headlock” features a fantastic mix of layered keyboards, repeating guitar chords, quick thumps on the floor toms and then a fun pop beat on the chorus part. Overall, I think this tune would do quite well on an alternative rock radio station – it’s quite enjoyable to listen to. The latter half of the song was spooky, and it reminds me of a cross between an ‘80s sci-fi soundtrack and some classic arcade game. The album’s last number is called “Take me home.” This track is somewhat trippy and has a soundscape, uplifting feel to it. Parts of it remind me of something off Coldplay’s A Rush of Blood to the Head album. Another great song and a strong way to end a debut album. I must admit, I didn’t pay attention to the lyrics of each song as much as I did the band’s production, the quality of mixing sounds together and the band’s musical chemistry as a single unit. There is something unique going on with this trio from Leeds. Whether or not the pandemic had anything to do with producing Things That Go, the result is brilliant! I wanted to listen to some of the songs again because I liked them so much. Hopefully they’ll release a follow up soon – or I could just listen to their debut again.
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