The UK melodic punk rock/indie/emo scene is getting stronger every day, thanks to hardworking bands, labels, and promoters that provide significant cogs in the machinery of this industry, and one of those record labels is Engineer Records, active for two decades and delivering tremendous releases daily. Recently, Engineer Records issued this album by Come The Spring, a combination of two previous EPs Revive and Echoes and also featuring the video singles “24”, “Memories & resonance”, “For what it’s worth” and “Better now”- so the new title is Echoes Revived. The new album perfectly captures their affinity for ear-catching alt-rock, or post-hardcore exuberance. For those who might not be completely familiar with this band, Come The Spring is a melodic punk rock group from Brighton, that consists of ex-members of Rydell and Strength Alone.
Come The Spring will resonate strongly with all sorts of “underground” fans, but wider waves should ripple in the Broad Church that is Rock! With their individual members gaining a wealth of experience from plying their trade in various UK rock bands, Come The Spring originally launched back in 2012 and have been making quality music ever since. The line up of Sam Craddock (vocals), Simon Goodrick (guitar), David Gamage (guitar), Mark Wilkinson (bass) and Jamie Donbroski (drums) have maintained their energy and moulded their sound with honed and polished song-writing and live performance skills.
Echoes Revived contains two EPs, Revive (released back in 2015) and Echoes (released in 2018), so this release now serves as a “proper” debut full-length album. It’s impressive how well these two recordings sit together in one package, showcasing two different sides of Come The Spring. Revive leans towards emo/post-hardcore, while Echoes showcases an indie/melodic punk rock side.
What they all share in this one song-set are characteristic melodies, harmonies, chord progressions, themes, and riffs involved. Besides incredibly strong lead vocals, wonderful guitar work is one of this band’s key features. But that would be to understate the taut rhythm section that holds these melodies and harmonies together; chunky basslines and tasty percussion keeping the “front row” in line!
The album opens with the earlier material, 13 Months immediately displaying some great riffs straight out of the Dawnwalker mould. There’s plenty of power and passion, with lead singer Sam sounding uncannily like a tuneful Joe Strummer on several of these tracks. Better Now, follows in the same passionate vein, but with an intriguing bass-led middle section. SJO is then one of several brief numbers in here, a surprisingly gentle (but building) instrumental post-rock work-out.
Next up is a bouncy burst of power chords in For What It’s Worth. I don’t know whether you ‘d call this post-rock, post-hardcore, alt-rock or whatever but its good! The Spirit of Strummer is indeed alive and well in Sam! At 5:24 minutes, Brighton And The Blues is the longest track on this album, a deep, slower but powerfully building track that has Sam displaying a huge range of emotions and the band as one behind him. As I say, powerful, moody, stuff, it’s a really, really, strong track.
The title track from the original Echoes EP has a neat percussive intro before the meat of the song highlights the band’s early post-hardcore style. Surprisingly, we’re then treated to a cover of Don Henley’s Boys of Summer, a guitar-driven classic that Come The Spring do full justice to – another ode to Brighton in all its glory?! It’s fascinating how this translates stylistically, so radically but so well!
24 effortlessly maintains the intensity of vocals and guitars, before another brief and relatively gentle instrumental gives us pause for breath….or so you think until Mr. Craddock wades in! Memory and Resonance has a pacey spikiness in the chords that reflects the singers impassioned pleas, again it’s powerful, stirring stuff! Air That I’m Breathing has a different vibe to the guitar work, and displays a softer side (at times!) to Sam’s singing whilst still being a beefy anthem. Maps continues this slower, melodic yet crashing style that does remind me of Dawnwalker. And of course it has their trademark build-up to a crescendo, I love this track!
Home Sick and Tired is the final track on this selection, without the lyrics in front of me I’m not completely sure but it’s a clever slant in the title. Pure Clash at times, God this takes me back! The change of pace and reflection within this one piece is a work of art, social statement, musical power, all rolled into one!
Echoes Revived is a perfect distillation of this band’s creative universe, delivering a clear statement on their intent to produce music with anthemic vocals, articulate song dynamics, soaring guitar riffs and emotive hook lines. And the video below perfectly capsulates this.
I’m impressed by these guys, and it’s left me intrigued by where they’ll go next!
