Album Review: Tall Ships - There Is Nothing But Chemistry Here

After endless touring and a huge support slot with Minus The Bear this summer, these three lads are no longer that obscure band from Falmouth who do a rather good cover of Craig David’s ‘7 Days’. They are the band supporting 65 Days Of Static on their European tour this winter after finding time to produce this gem of an EP ‘There Is Nothing But Chemistry Here,’ so I’m assuming there’s no longer a need to explain who they are and what they do.

Tall Ships are, in every sense of the term, a live band. The visuals of swapping instruments and their endless layering and looping is lost on CD, but what stands out on this EP is the sheer strength of their tracks, helped along by some tasty production which feels a lot more meatier and tight than their debut. ‘Plate Techtonics’ holds a strong rhythm section with great vocals which is an aspect of Tall Ships that becomes more prominent within this release.

They have found their first proper single in ‘Chemistry’, it’s a confident track that begins with off kilter mathy riffs which make way for a mellow sing-a-long mid section before everything seems to come together and culminate in to a strong and radio worthy track. ‘Ode To Ancestors’ begins with the familiar almost organ-like synth with melodic vocals. The track then takes you somewhere you thought you’d never end up within an array of electronic beats, classically playing up to the obscurity of the band, never quite letting you settle within their sound.

‘Snow’ is a track that unless you see live can’t fully be explained, it begins with electronic drums and a slightly dreary vocal tinged with a Thom Yorke influence which breaks in between bright guitar melodies. The building and climax of this track see’s the band at its very best, spiralling guitar loops and thrashing out a tight snare rhythm. The fact that at this point on stage the lead guitarist is on drums while the bassist plays guitar and the drummer beats a snare wherever he can find room just reiterates the point that Tall Ships are a live band.

‘Bear And Blitz’ plays out the EP, a weird monotone synth driven piece which luckily feels just about right to end on, although it would have been nice to hear a final full length track. I should probably take this conclusion as the moment to point out that I currently reside in Falmouth so I’m probably slightly biased, but with the reaction this band are getting live and the fact that these guys are producing something different on a stale UK scene you’d be bloody foolish to let it slip your grasp.

4/5

'There Is Nothing But Chemistry Here ' by Tall Ships is released on October 25th through Big Scary Monsters Recordings.

Tall Ships on MySpace

Connor O’Brien