By Angus White
Blaenavon are a band who feel like they have been around for ages now. Well in fact, they have and last friday (7th April), the Hampshire trio released their debut album, That’s Your Lot. Blaenavon have been working on this album for around 5 years now and encompasses every aspect of their lives throughout those 5 year.
All the way back in 2013, they dropped their debut single (Into The Night) and this was before they had even sat their finals. Swans was written when Ben Gregory (vocals and guitar) was 16 and now the final product has been released just after his 21st birthday.
Their first attempt at a debut was rejected by their previous label for “not taking it serious enough” but now with their first LP behind them, The band have matured and we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg of what they can offer.
That’s Your Lot is just short off the hour mark and for a debut LP, this is long. Due to the length, The album brings its own indulgences with a truly lavish nature. The track listing includes already-released Orthodox Man, Come Home Alice and Lonely Side. Plus tracks from previous EPs; My Bark is Your Bite and Let’s Pray.
For me, the biggest gem in the album is the revamped and extended Prague ’99 taking up five minutes but afterwards they do not feel wasted. Swans is the longest track on the album at eight minutes and is beautiful. To be written at 16 is extrordinary and really shows off Frontman Ben’s talent. The way, riffs, melodies and lushous licks build upon each other creating a piece of art which never loses its purpose, the embodiment of the band that Blaenavon are.
Its hard to choose favourites when it comes to this album but the best tracks, in my opinion, are Opener Take Care, My Bark is Your Bite, Let Me See What Happens Next, Swans and, of course, Prague ’99. Blaenavon’s tracks are jam-packed with melancholia but also fuelled by energetic cruscendo’s and bitter-sweet irony, summed up by the title That’s Your Lot, because they have only just got going! Watch this space.
This album is for fans of Sundara Karma and Spring King.
