The Maccabees
Album: Given To The Wild
Label: Fiction Records
Tracks: 13
Website: www.themaccabees.co.uk

Much has been made of The Maccabees finally turning all that mid-noughties promise into a discernible niche for themselves in the modern indie guitar band arena. To some extent, Given To the Wild is their coming of age, their first grown up job, a down payment on their glittering future.

Until now The Maccabees have seemed content to ape then pay homage to the leading lights of the era from which they emerged, nigh on a decade ago. Trouble is, as they've clearly realised, sticky pastiches of The Libertines, Futureheads and Bloc Party will only carry you so far. Sooner or later you have to stand up and be counted on your own merits - or consign yourself forever to the run of the mill SU bar gigs.

In fact, Given To the Wild reclaims the third album as the 'tricky' one. This is the first time they've had the nuts to go for their own bag and for the most part it works very well. Orlando Weeks sounds less frantic behind the mic and the band have fashioned music of light and dark, particularly on the mordant Forever I've Known and the thrill-seeking rush of Child; while Pelican already sounds like a modern classic.

Influences are more disparate than before, but I'll wager the presence of co-producers Tim Goldsworthy (LCD Soundsystem, DFA, UNKLE) and Bruno Ellingham (Massive Attack) might explain the newly comfortable musical pluralism. Thus, the presence of early Arcade Fire if felt along with that of Low-era Bowie, while someone close to all this musing is clearly familiar with Talk Talk's Spirit of Eden and not averse to a little David Sylvian, Peter Gabriel or Tom Verlaine either.

As third albums go it offers far more hope for angular masculine guitar music than most.

Nick Churchill
www.thegranvillechambers.co.uk