Marmozets - Knowing What You Know Now

Rating:

This would be the album to cement Marmozets’ place above their peers, if they had any.

It’s been a long three years since Bingley’s finest, the weird and wonderful Marmozets, clawed their way through the UK rock scene, only to have illness temporarily halt their ascent to the top of the pack. Having returned to raise stages to the ground this past autumn we finally have their second album ‘Knowing What You Know Now’.

The band waste no time in getting back to business, kicking off with the unhinged and danceable brilliance of ‘Play’. “I don’t dance ‘cause I want to, I dance ‘cause I need to” soars vocalist Becca MacIntyre, as the listener feels the overwhelming urge to bust a move. It’s a good indication of what to expect from the record, as Marmozets showcase their madness in a more refined form than previous outings. Tracks like ‘Habits’ and ‘Major System Error’ continue in similarly riotous fashion, the former an ode to those toxic habits that we’re all better off without, the latter an infectious earworm bound to dominate the airwaves.

There’s more to this record than neatly packaged chaos though, and the mid-section sees the band wading into some experimental new waters. The psychedelic ‘Insomnia’ is dreamlike in the way its light riffing and haunting vocals echo through the listeners head. ‘Me & You’ is a raw and emotional slice of reflection on the passing of a loved one, on which Becca turns in her most affecting vocal performance yet, backed up by eerily sparse instrumentation.

Despite the tumultuous years that preceded this album’s release it’s a message of unity and encouragement that shines through the madness. Nowhere is this more evident than in the epic build of closing track ‘Run With The Rhythm’, in which Marmozets address their fans directly, reminding them they’re not alone and rallying them to live life on their own terms. A powerful reminder that a sense of freedom is at the heart of everything this band do.

This would be the album to cement Marmozets’ place above their peers, if they had any, instead it serves to remind the world why this band is truly one of a kind. White hot intensity and venomous aggression sit alongside sugar-sweet sentimentality, held together by an arena-sized production job, ‘Knowing What You Know Now’ is the sound of a band born young and free. Brad Thorne