Review Summary: They're exciting, raw and real - say hello to the Heathers
The Heathers first came onto the Irish music scene in 2008 with their debut LP Here, Not There; a collection of wonderfully crafted acoustic songs backed by the Macnamara sister's exquisite vocal harmonies. It's taken them a little while to make a follow up to their first record - but by all accounts it was worth the wait.
The first notable difference between their debut effort and their latest offering is the instrumentation. While Here, Not There featured only an acoustic guitar and the occasional cello, on Kingdom they have a full band backing them as well as tracks like "Gather Up" and "Lions, Tigers, Bears" laden with synths to create the thrilling soundscapes that surround the duo's incredible harmonies.
Although the music itself is impressive, it's the sister's duetting vocals that are the main focus. They sing with intensity and use one of their biggest strengths - their almost effortless ability to create somewhat breathtaking harmonies, the most impressive example of this in "Underground Beneath" - to make songs bursting with nervous energy. Every line in every song is delivered with such passion, using a combination of huge hooks and subtle melodies in order to enthrall the listener and to ensure that you'll be singing the songs for weeks after.
Lyrically, the album talks about the self doubt that accompanies growing older and while I sometimes felt that the lyrical content on Here, Not There was occasionally weak, here the songwriting feels more accomplished and mature, and any momentary shortcomings that the lyrics posess (and those moments are very few) are carried by the melodies and keeps the album flowing.
Although this album has flaws (the instrumentation can sometimes feel a bit repetitive and songs like "The Third Rail" and "Flight" aren't as strong as others on the album) the positives definitely outweigh any of the negatives. The Heathers have created an album that feels lived in and raw - and it will be exciting to see where they go next.
