The quartet, completed by drummer Teddy Roberts and bassist Colin Gorman, have now returned with a four-track EP titled ‘Old Clothes’. Recorded during the ‘I Won’t How You…’ sessions with the always reliable producer, Will Yip, Walsh has stated the tracks on this EP “could be special on their own”.

It opens up with the title track which captures the emotive, upbeat style that will be familiar to longtime Tigers Jaw listeners. Gentle keys give way to steady muted guitars and Walsh’s lead vocals, lyrically honing in on the feeling of holding on to the present for as long as possible. With some “whoa’s” thrown in during the bridge, a strong chorus drives up the lyrical theme as Walsh closes with “I am not the one who is running away from you”.

‘Swear’ follows on at a similar tempo. Teddy Roberts’ accentuated drum work is a distinctive contribution, alongside Collins’ distant swirling organ keys and Walsh’s stirring-yet-brief guitar solo. Overall, it’s a catchy cut that highlights Tigers Jaw’s ability to write simple, emotive power-pop songs that easily come and go.

The penultimate track, ‘Reckless’, at first subtly rides on raw, sharp indie-punk guitars and Walsh’s upbeat melody, only to be countered by a slowed-down mid-section led by Collins’ ominous keys. Its gradual build to its conclusion allows the quartet’s musicianship to take the spotlight; twiddly guitars ring out while being supported by Gorman’s routine bass line and Roberts’ assuring drums.

The fourth and final track, ‘Waltz’, could easily be considered a throwaway or an interlude. As its title suggests, it breezes in with a stirring, mesmerising synth-led melody as Collins takes over the lead with light, distant vocals. Although she’s repeatedly shown her ability to smoothly and calmly step up in the past, Collins is drowned out by sustained, layered keys and a simple beat. Unfortunately, it ends this short outing on a flat note.

Much like the album from the same sessions that spawned these four songs, ’Old Clothes’ is an appreciative reminder of Tigers Jaw’s melodic strength. While it considerably lacks the emotional anchor that threaded ‘I Won’t Care How You…’ together, three of the four offerings here are rich in their tone and resonance.

It’s easy to see why Tigers Jaw saw these songs as a separate, collective set; honing in on a rawer sound, yet equally ‘Old Clothes’ can be viewed as a complementary EP. It will surely please fans and hold them over until album number seven. However, for anyone looking to be introduced to Tigers Jaw, this isn’t the ideal start.

SÊAN REID

At least at first.

Push past the point of the record wearing thin, and ‘Control My Sanity’ reveals itself as a record far more three dimensional than just cursory listens would have one believe. Opener ‘Ketamine Jesus’ is a blistering way to kick off proceedings; a toss between early Title Fight-esque punk rock and You Me at Six style emo, it establishes both the band and indeed the album’s aesthetic perfectly.

It’s an aesthetic that runs through the core of the album, veering between the emotional alt-rock of tracks such as the eponymous ‘Control My Sanity’ or ‘Hollow Tears’. It’s these tracks which feel the most generic, especially when compared to the likes of ‘Fail to Speak’, that bristle with an angsty energy that has more more in common with the likes of bands like Tigers Jaw or the aforementioned Title Fight.

Indeed, it’s these heavier, more angsty tracks that elevate ‘Control My Sanity’, and even then, it takes repeat listens before any sort of nuance begins to reveal itself. Largely, this is down to the band’s innate ability to veer between the confessional and the cathartic, and despite this one reviewer being overly long in the tooth and somewhat cynical, there’s an entire generation of fans that haven’t grown up on the likes of You Me At Six or The Wonder Years. As such, ‘Control My Sanity’ proves itself the perfect gateway record to an entire genre for the uninitiated.

Though there will be certainly naysayers that find far too much familiarity within its ten tracks, there’s a certain sense of catharsis around the record that makes it difficult to ignore. As such, there’s a lot to love within the record, but those who’ve been kicking around a while might want to look elsewhere if they want something to truly excite them.

DAVE BEECH

‘I Won’t Care How You Remember Me’ is the band’s sixth studio album and while it isn’t a huge sonic departure from ‘Spin’, the quality of the songwriting is so high that it’s difficult to care. The opening (and title) track starts with simple acoustic chords and an upbeat-yet-forlorn vocal performance from Ben Walsh. Layers of subtle keyboards and vocal harmonies add texture to the track before the whole band crashes in at around the two minute mark. This striking moment is the first of many where Will Yip’s fantastic production really shines; he really does deserve a mention for the sense of power and urgency he has given this album, particularly in the production of the drums, which sound gigantic throughout.

As always, Brianna Collins takes the lead vocal on a couple of tracks and, as always, they’re some of the album’s stand-out moments. The post-punk inspired ‘Lemon Mouth’ is a psychedelic delight with shimmering guitars and driving bass, whereas the off-kilter and mostly drum-led ‘Commit’ almost has an air of mid-career Paramore about it – musically at least. Collins’ grounded vocal performance, however, makes it sound more down-to-earth and sincere than it might have done in the hands of Hayley Williams and co.

The rest of the record is made up of the band’s signature mix of emo, pop-punk and indie rock, and the quality doesn’t let up from start to finish. From the high-energy bounce of ‘Hesitation’ and ‘Can’t Wait Forever’ to the more subdued numbers like ‘New Detroit’ and ‘Never Wanted To’, it’s clear that the members of Tigers Jaw put a lot of time into every tiny little detail of these songs, and yet they somehow make them sound so simple that they float effortlessly into the ear of the listener.

Only truly great songwriters can make a seemingly straightforward song stand out, and they don’t come much better at simple yet impactful songs than Tigers Jaw. This album isn’t out to challenge you, it’s there to create a warm embrace for you to just exist in for half an hour. If that sounds like a welcome break after the stressful year we’ve all had, then give this wonderful little record a listen.

LIAM KNOWLES

Joining the likes of All Time Low, NOFX and Bad Religion, are Lights, Wage War, Plain White T’s, Hellogoodbye, Touche Amore, Tigers Jaw, Wallflower, Employed To Serve, Microwave and Our Hollow Our Home.

Slam Dunk will take place in Leeds and Hatfield on the 25th and 26th May respectively, and tickets are available here.

Check out the current lineup below.

Earlier this the band released their latest album ‘spin’ via Black Cement Records.

As for the supports; back in October, Slaughter Beach, Dog (Modern Baseball’s Jake Ewald) released his second album ‘Birdie’ through Big Scary Monsters (UK/EU), Lame-O Records (US) and Cooking Vinyl (AUS), whilst Worriers released their second album ‘Surival Pop’ in September via SideOneDummy Records.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=C4EmRTtsw-k

APRIL 2018
06 LONDON Bush Hall
07 BRIGHTON Bau Widow
08 MANCHESTER Rebellion
10 DUBLIN, IRE Whelan’s
11 GLASGOW Stereo
13 NEWCASTLE The Cluny
14 LEEDS Brudenell Social Club
15 BRISTOL The Exchange
16 SOUTHAMPTON Talking Heads
17 KINGSTON The Fighting Cocks

The performance is the latest edition in The AV Club’s Undercover series. Earlier this year the indie/emo rockers released their latest album ‘spin’ on Black Cement Records.

Main support Culture Abuse get the response of a headline act; their unique blend of melodic punk and garage rock igniting the crowd. The set is almost entirely made up of songs from 2016’s ‘Peach’ and are delivered with the energy and intensity of a much heavier band. Vocalist David Kelling, whose on-stage persona is that of a punk-rock Shaun Ryder, has rock swagger coming from every orifice as he belts out infectious tracks like ‘Jealous’ and ‘Chinatown’. New single ‘So Busted’ is a more chilled out affair and it will be interesting to see if this is indicative of a new direction on their next release.

It’s easy to forget how many well-crafted, memorable tracks Tigers Jaw have got in their repertoire until you see them live and they play pretty much all of them. Opening with a three-hit combo of ‘Follows’, ‘Frame You’ and ‘The Sun’, the Pennsylvania emo heroes instantly have the crowd eating out of the palm of their hand. The band sounds incredible, with all layers and textures clear and balanced, and hit much harder live than on record thanks largely to their powerful drummer.

Due to the short length of most of the tracks, Tigers Jaw keep up an impressive momentum as they steam through a 20(ish) track set spanning their entire back catalogue. Fan favourites like ‘Chemicals’ and ‘I Saw Water’ sit comfortably aside the new album songs, but it’s the material from 2014’s ‘Charmer’ that gets the best response. Dual vocalists Brianna Collins and Ben Walsh harmonise perfectly over the pop charm of ‘Nervous Kids’ and the glistening ‘Distress Signal’, and the encore of ‘Hum’ is the perfect way to end a completely flawless set.

Despite being a band for 11 years, Tigers Jaw still feel incredibly fresh and relevant. This, coupled with a strong support lineup, make tonight a perfect showcase of 2017’s musical climate. There may be a lot of garbage out there, but there are plenty bands of this calibre bubbling away under the surface of the mainstream. Take the time to dig them out so you don’t miss out on wonderful, charming nights like this one.

LIAM KNOWLES

The song is taken from their fourth album ‘spin’, which was released earlier this year on Black Cement Records.

The band are currently on a UK tour, the remaining dates of which are listed below.

AUGUST
25 READING Reading Festival
26 LEEDS Leeds Festival