As the saying goes, ‘If it ain’t broke ,don’t fix it’ and Catfish and the Bottlemen have definitely kept that in mind with their new release , The Balance. In their own words’ nothing’s really changed’ and you can expect the same good old-fashioned alternative rock Catfish and the Bottlemen are known for. Fans were unsure what the band was going to do with their third release with some thinking a drastically different sound was on the horizon but Catfish and the Bottlemen have firmly stuck to what they know this time, attracting criticism from some reviewers. It could be said that the band played it safe but regardless, The Balance delivers some great tracks.
The album opens with a trio of what are perhaps the best three songs on the album. Beginning with ‘Longshot’ a song that builds well towards its catchy chorus that is sure to go down well at the band’s upcoming arena tour. ‘Fluctuate’ is an upbeat,rocky number that oozes with guitar solos and leads into what could easily be the stand out track of the album. ‘2all’ is a melodic and memorable track with the snappy refrain “I give my love to all, all the ones that stuck around” which gives the track a kind of pleasing sweetness to it.
The middle section provides some good upbeat tracks including ‘Encore’ but they are not quite as sharp as the album’s opening songs and sadly do get a little repetitive. Into the final stretch and the remaining songs ‘Mission’, ‘Coincide’ and ‘Overlap’ maintain The Balance’s well, balance and ‘Overlap’ provides a reasonable finnish to the album. The band were right in their assessment that nothing much has changed and their sound does feel somewhat unevolved since The Ride but it seems undeniable that some great songs have been delivered with this album.
(3/5)
