VIGILANTES
The Neighbourhood
Lincoln, United Kingdom
Vigilantes are here and they are here to stay I’m glad to say. Their latest EP, ‘The Neighbourhood’ wraps all of the beloved British rock sounds into one stellar suite of rock and roll bliss. - FREDDIE MCKEE
The band have become synonymous with great live performances and putting blood sweat and tears into their music. If you were worried that Vigilantes would sound different when they create albums and EPs as some rock hard-hitters do, then you will be pleasantly surprised that the band have managed to capture their energy and musicality all at once on, ‘The Neighbourhood’. The album is a showcase. Vigilantes are proving that they can hit every tone that British rock has produced over the last ten years and hit it with a new twist that makes it fresh and exciting all over again. This is certainly a release you’ll want to get your ears around.
The EP opens with the title track, ‘The Neighbourhood’. A song that starts airy and open, synth pads fill the air as the staccato piano ropes you into the vocals that are delightfully indie. Then all at once, the band kicks in with an attitude that fits their namesake. The song ploughs on through diverse movements and a smashing chorus that is dark at times. It's great to see a brit rock band that is unafraid to play with tones and textures in their music, that is a distinction that makes the Vigilantes stand out amongst the indie rock crowd for me. The song brings forth flavours of The 1975 crossed with Soundgarden in the instrumental. It’s a brilliant track and a perfect opening for what’s to come.
‘Better Man’ saunters in next. A guitar riff tears the sky apart and you know you are in for a belter from the get-go. The song is stadium worthy without a doubt, it has that Reading and Leeds feeling. Changing in tone slightly from ‘The Neighbourhood’, the song features Oasis style pushes and guitars turned up to 11 while the vocals are clear, crisp and have a lot of joy in them. These factors together give ‘Better Man’ a heavy Killers vibe. As it plunges into a thick chorus and backs off for a quieter verse. Speaking of the chorus, that’s two for two on a smashing melody. As the EP goes on you’ll find that Vigilantes go five for five in the chorus department. Another reason to love this up-and-coming indie powerhouse.
Touching upon each song is a dutiful way to review this EP, but what would be even better is for you to simply go and listen to it for yourself. Marvel at the way ‘Secret’ feels like Royal Blood hired two more members, kept their riff mastery and just added layer upon layer of British rock flavour. How ‘Drawing Auras’ hark the Horrors with its crunchy synth and loud chorus, smashing through walls with a sound that will live forever in festival goes hearts. Vigilantes show throughout ‘The Neighbourhood’ that they are deep into British rock. They live and breathe it. They have taken inspiration from every great and it shows, but it doesn’t come across like they don’t have their own style, no. It feels like a tip of the hat, a homage, a loving thank you from one brilliant band to the rest. And as one final thank you, Vigilantes give us ‘Tigerwall’.
‘Tigerwall’ may be the most Vigilantes that Vigilantes get. The song is brit rock at its finest. With warm vocals, personal lyrics and a rip-roaring backing. It's a song that makes you want to get up and shout and that’s what Vigilantes are to me. They’ve shown us that they can do everything and anything. But at their core, Vigilantes are a musical surge of punk-pop energy. If they head for the breakers, they may just blow up the charts.