Album Review: Canterbury - Thank You

With this debut album I feel that I should be the one offering thanks. Firstly, it jumped the gun and was released early, and secondly it’s completely free to get your mouse-clicking, downloading fingers on. ‘Thank You’ boasts an essence of the quintessential English sound whilst simultaneously paying homage to an array of genres.

‘Peace & Quiet’ opens and weaves seamlessly through tempo changes, elevating with a clouting bass line and determined, distorted guitar riffs. Whilst this song sports a sound similar to Billy Talent, a couple of tracks in and you’re confronted with ‘Diver’ – a song subtly resembling a more wistful, Explosions In The Sky, post-rock leaning. That is, of course, before sharply mutating into the catchy, hook-ridden chorus.

It took a while to notice the conceptual link as the album moves through ‘Accident’, ‘Ambulance’ to ‘Hospital’. It begins with a spurt of a messy, chaotic wall of sound in ‘Accident’, moving then to a fast paced melodic ‘Ambulance’ whilst finally arriving at ‘Hospital’, a slow tempo, acoustic led song utilising Brian Wilson’esque vocal harmonies.

‘Set Your Right’ is composed to be a masterfully infectious indie anthem. The lyrics “We’re all salt and pepper now…” mixed with a strong electro presence demonstrates the contagious cheese, further backed up with the slightly grating “woa-oa-oah” added in for extra sing-along value.

Whilst still a finely constructed debut, there are times when you’re left wondering if the songs retain any real message or corporeal meaning. But then again, who really cares? At the end of the day it’s an uplifting listen, exhibiting Canterbury’s flair for uniting different inspirations into a solid musical force.

4/5

'Thank You' by Canterbury is available to download for free here.

Andy Burton