Lonely The Brave aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. An absence of accessible melodies and recognisable song structures have shut them off from a wider audience. That being said, their darker, unpolished sound has given them a sound they can firmly call their own. One which, for those of us who are fans, has drawn the band in to a space very close to our hearts.
While we waited almost two years for their second album, barely a few months go by without another EP or special release on the go. Although initially ‘Things Will Matter’ wasn’t as well-received as its predecessor, a relentless festival schedule has won fans over with live performances of the tracks, taking on a life of their own in a live setting.
‘Dust & Bones’, the title track the EP is based around, is an obvious choice for a single. From the power of the intro, through David Jakes’ growling vocals and a darker bassline, to a moment that’ll give you goosebumps, it has all the makings of a huge hit. Considering how nervous Jakes is onstage, his dominant presence as a front man is undeniable on record.
‘Place Isn’t Lost’ has already received plenty of praise from critics, finding a place on mainstream radio. It’s a far more frantic song, however, with tinges of math rock’s unrelenting guitars to be heard among the heavier riffs. Jakes, accompanied by guitarist Mark Trotter, do what they do best vocally: the latter supporting the former and heightening the emotion of the song.
At only just over three minutes’ long, ‘Bottled Time’ has the brashness of a punk song, with the melodic chorus in among the racket of post-hardcore or emo. Fierce, noisy rock all the way through, it doesn’t hold back for a moment before its abrupt end which leaves an eerie silence in the air.
‘Comfortably Numb’ (originally by Pink Floyd) isn’t a surprising choice for a cover, considering the range we’ve heard from the band before. The best one, and certainly the most ambitious, they’ve done so far, the classic rock favourite becomes a brooding anthem for the underdog with a hair-raising crescendo; just what Lonely The Brave do best. It sounds so familiar as they take the atmospheric, eponymous track and make it sound so much like their own you’d believe Lonely The Brave could have written some of the lyrics themselves (“A distant ship smoke on the horizon / You are only coming through in waves”).
The work ethic of Lonely The Brave never falls short of impressive. Barely a time goes by where they aren’t touring – or announcing the next one, recording, or releasing another record. Still relatively under the radar, modest and unassuming, their relentless hard work is paying off and slowly but surely these five, (extra)ordinary men are becoming masters of their craft.
KATHRYN BLACK