THE SPITFIRES – RESPONSE

I first clapped eyes on The Spitfires three years ago in Woking. It was very early days for the band and although they didn’t blow me away I was intrigued enough to book them for Deep Joy as it was obvious they had something going on. By the time they rolled into town at the Red Lion they had improved so much I was indeed blown away!

I’ve had the pleasure of seeing The Spitfires several times now including the couple of gigs they did for Deep Joy and I’m amazed at the progress the band has made over the last few years. What is so pleasing is that they’ve done it the proper way with no helping hands or leg-ups! They’ve travelled the length and breadth of the country and even Europe honing their stuff, which is the only way to do it. There might be short cuts to fame but not to skill.

Right to the album. I was expecting the album to be good but it has surpassed anything I could have hoped for. Response is a serious contender for album of the year for me and is a culmination of all their hard work.

I can’t think of a better debut album by a young band since The Stone Roses and I include Oasis in that before anyone starts!

Response is a real head fuck of an album, from the opening feedback of Disciples I was hooked. The Spitfires have a winning formula as they have the knack of producing pounding tunes with killer lines that you just can’t get out of your head.

Straight into the single Tell Me that continues that winning formula and Escape Me steps it up another notch. Spoke Too Soon is a masterpiece. Alright, it sails a bit close to Weller’s Love-Less at times but it soon develops its own direction and shows The Spitfires are capable of producing beautiful songs that even Mr Weller would be proud to come up with. My favourite track on the album at the moment.

Relapse is a stunning piece of power pop with a touch of Ska thrown in for good measure and Stand Down is an angry tour de force that could have come straight out of 1979 and what a great year for music that was.

At this point the album is broken by the hauntingly beautiful instrumental Serenade Part 1 which is over far too soon.

I’m Holding On will be familiar to fans. Another brilliant tune that messes with your head for days as does Spark to Start the band’s first single and a live favourite.

Words to Say blends some great Jam moments with a touch of Ska and flows nicely in to another masterpiece When I call Out Your Name, another fave of mine. Serenade Part 2 leads nicely into the album’s closer, the latest single the brilliant 4am.

Yeah, so they sound like The Jam, so fuckin’ what! To be honest I hear The Clash and The Ruts more than I hear The Jam. I love a band who wear their influences on their sleeve, too many people miss out on great bands because they sound like their heroes (ask Terry Shaughnessy). Let’s be honest here folks our beloved Weller has made a career out of it and it hasn’t done him much harm has it?

Response is one of the most important albums for years and may just kick start young people into picking up a guitar and having a go!

10/10