The Black Lamps Create A Debut Masterpiece

It took less than a minute of previewing 'The Archivist' by The Black Lamps before knowing that this could be a great band worthy of further attention.

 

Upon receiving the album from the Barnsley based four piece I was relieved to be rewarded for my initial excitement.  These guys are amazing.

The band manages to create imaginative and vast music whilst never losing sight of the original direction of the song.  There is no inkling of any self-indulgent sections and you get the impression that every note played and every beat of the drum struck has been crafted for the most purest of reasons; the song.

From their wonderful bass lines to their hypnotic, sparse guitar soundscapes and their poetic lyrics this is a band who are at the peak of their craft both musically and lyrically.  This is no more evident than in 'The Smoking Party' with it's reverb soaked lyrics and the excellent 'Low Hanging Fruit'.  Also, if you are looking for an alternative indie Christmas song you cannot go far wrong with 'Casa Disco' and it's accurate portrayal of that post-Christmas Holiday vibe.

If you are a fan of bands like Interpol, The National, Editors, Doves or Joy Division I cannot recommend The Black Lamps highly enough.  And the best thing is you don't even need to take my word for it. You can visit their website where they will furnish you not only with a free download of 'The Smoking Party' but also provide various tracks you can stream to tide you over until their album release on 12th January 2015.  Enjoy.

Words by Dominic Munden

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