Ardency - Dear Human Album Review

Ardency
Dear Human
Album Review

How do you measure the worth or the talent of a band? Is it through their record sales? Surely not what about the hard working bands that are playing in every back street pub, car park and toilet. The up and coming bands where when you hear them for the first time you just know. Record sales can be false; Stereophonics were a great band with their first two albums, but then went all commercialised. Luckily now they are back to their roots. What kind of band did that make them? Inconsistent but now they are back to basics come on the 'phonics!!!

The thing is that some bands make music to sell records and for only that purpose & some bands make music because it is in their blood and it's what they want to do. A record deal is just a bonus (fair enough a big bonus). A band that has that fire in their stomachs, and just want to blast out tunes they want hear. I don't think this four-piece from Nottingham will ever being labelled 'commercial'. These guys play some of the most intense music that I have heard and you find yourself trying to listen that bit more, just so you don't actually miss anything. I can't see these guys putting on a typical gig. What I mean is the music is such that you can imagine a really dark room where all the crowed are sitting back and taking it all in. Ardency has that feel to it, there are some groups that you just go mad and beer is flying all over the place. Then there are bands like this.

Interestingly the band have four tracks that are represented with ( ) round them, which maybe a bit unnecessary, there are some nice sounds backing it up however, but all a bit mental. Not quite sure if they have been included to split up the album.

Other than the previously stated ( ) tracks every other track tells its own story and is original in its own divine right. This I feel that it is not fair to bring up 3 or 4 tracks, but I will say that 'Neither Here Nor There' is without doubt my favourite with the duet of vocals, awesome guitar riffs and perfectly sounding drum beats. When it starts out you don't expect it to fold out into the masterpiece that it does. In short this track to me represents Ardency.

At points, Ardency shows the same qualities that Pink Floyd. Listen to Nick Edgar's mesmerising vocals and you will be hooked. My only real concern (ironically enough) is that they won't get much airplay. Hopefully the likes of Zane Lowe and Jo Whiley will recognise the music talents of this Nottingham band.

Mark Moore