If we look back over the last couple of years, Cardiff’s RECLUSE were one of the brightest prospects South Wales had to offer; gigging relentlessly around the local bars and clubs, playing numerous smaller UK festivals and of course, releasing their fine debut that was “Crooked Heart”. It was a well-blended combination of blues inspired hard rock ‘n’ roll, with tracks such as “Passing Cars” and “Heartjacker” cementing their status as an enjoyable and reliable band, always delivering, no matter what size the venue or crowd. It’s about time then, that 2015 see’s the band (consisting of guitarist/vocalist Britt, bassist Tom and drummer Alex) release their hotly anticipated follow-up; “The Quiet Hours”. There have been many of them, was it worth the wait?
We open up with “Horrible Beautiful” and we are far from quiet…instantly you’re hit with some of the hardest and dirtiest riffs the band has ever played and it’s quite the wake-up-call. It softens momentarily, allowing the listener time to gather their senses but as a whole, it’s a very gritty, visceral track… sludgy guitars and a certain strain to Britt’s vocals allowing for a very raw delivery. “Move Me” is less intense and has a really great melody to it whilst managing to retain the rough around the edges feel of the music, resulting in an enjoyable listen and an early album highlight, great stuff here. “Temper” and other tracks such as “Now You’re Gone” and “Cherry” carry with them a rich grunge inspired tone giving the album an almost retro feel, especially the latter, while lighter tracks, “Bury Us Separately” being the perfect example, balance things out beautifully.
It may have taken them a few years to deliver album number two but the lengthy silence has been justified. “The Quiet Hours” is a fine return and shows a band evolving their sound with positive effect. Patience is a virtue, especially when you’re dealing with a band as reclusive as this. [7]
We open up with “Horrible Beautiful” and we are far from quiet…instantly you’re hit with some of the hardest and dirtiest riffs the band has ever played and it’s quite the wake-up-call. It softens momentarily, allowing the listener time to gather their senses but as a whole, it’s a very gritty, visceral track… sludgy guitars and a certain strain to Britt’s vocals allowing for a very raw delivery. “Move Me” is less intense and has a really great melody to it whilst managing to retain the rough around the edges feel of the music, resulting in an enjoyable listen and an early album highlight, great stuff here. “Temper” and other tracks such as “Now You’re Gone” and “Cherry” carry with them a rich grunge inspired tone giving the album an almost retro feel, especially the latter, while lighter tracks, “Bury Us Separately” being the perfect example, balance things out beautifully.
It may have taken them a few years to deliver album number two but the lengthy silence has been justified. “The Quiet Hours” is a fine return and shows a band evolving their sound with positive effect. Patience is a virtue, especially when you’re dealing with a band as reclusive as this. [7]
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