Before proceeding any further, it’s really won’t be difficult for many to make a comparison between New Jersey’s Banquets and The Gaslight Anthem, and you can certainly hear the blues punk of ‘Sink Or Swim’ bouncing through the bands instrumental work from the very first second of Banquets’ self titled full length. Putting that to the side though, and it’s probably worth saying that the band have put together what could be the record you need in your life this summer.
The album’s ten tracks accompanied a sunny afternoon train trip recently in a fantastic way, and there’s little doubt that opening salvo ‘Little Shallow’ and ‘Big Big Waves’ in particular will suit a road trip or a barbecue as well as they will do a stage dive. It’s a fine balance to run, but the pace, melody and big choruses throughout makes the album very, very easy to listen to, and there’s plenty of singalong moments in every track.
‘Banquets’ also has the huge advantage of being great on first pass through. It’s full of energy and flair, and the band seem to have been careful about only making the album (and each track) as long as it needs to be. The track listing makes the record feel balanced as well, so there’s very little danger of the band ever outstaying their welcome towards the end of the record with impatient listeners.
‘Bums In The Breeze’ is the best song title you’ll hear this year (though this is probably not how they intended it), and it’s the sort of album that you’re always a bit sad to get to the end of it. You’ll be reaching for the repeat button if you didn’t already have it switched in, so just go for it and turn the volume up a bit higher the next time around… a fine record for a very promising band, and one to share with friends.
TOM AYLOTT