The Race - Be Your Alibi Album Review

Artist - The Race
Album - Be Your Alibi
Album Review

What a great time for British music - this band from Reading could just be the next step on the road set out by Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party and The Arctic Monkeys. Clearly learning from the best of American indie, the sound of bands like Arcade Fire, Interpol and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is in evidence, but mostly The Race sound like Coldplay's Chris Martin taking over The Cure from Robert Smith or early U2 from Bono (Amersham Road, in particular, standing out).

The music is anthemic, huge and constantly exciting - Edge-like guitar and great drumming. Goodness, there is no suggestion anywhere that this is a debut album - its ambition is tantalising and electric. Occasionally, they drop into Killers-mediocrity, but they quickly pull themselves out. This is a new UK band that should be checked out ahead of all others.

Rating 8/10

Mike Rea