In the last five years since their formation, Blossoms are emerging from a period where perhaps guitar-based bands that truly make an impact are on the decline. They offer a breath of fresh air with their infectious brand of indie disco/glam. Their first record showed a great depth for a debut with the single “Charlemagne” being a radio staple and other strong songs like “Honey Sweet” and “Getaway”. The album, released in August 2016, hit number one in the UK album charts. The band is currently supporting Mancunian chart topper Noel Gallagher on his latest tour.
I was surprised to hear that they were releasing their second album Cool Like You less than two years after their debut, however, hearing the first single “I Can’t Stand It” I was relieved. It starts off at a rocket pace, with a heavy 80s synth pop influence on display and is another infectious track from the Stockport group. The albums opening track “There’s A Reason Why (I Never Returned Your Calls)” is another infectious track and is sure to be a fan favourite. Lead singer Tom Ogden has stated that a number of songs from the new record were written around the same time as their first record, however, this doesn’t detract from the quality of music on display.
They offer a breath of fresh air with their infectious brand of indie disco/glam
“Unfaithful” sounds more like the music from their first record, akin to “At Most A Kiss”, it is also a rockier number in its middle section, which shows that the band can verge away from its brand of indie dancefloor pop. Overall, however, this album has upped the synths and slightly reduced the guitar involvement which is not necessarily a weakness however it will be interesting to see how the groups sound evolves going forward.
“How Long Will This Last” is perhaps one of the more forgettable songs on the record, being quite repetitive and bland, sounding like one of the songs recorded for the first record and perhaps best left discarded. “Between The Eyes” brings a slightly different sound, with a slow reflective opening giving a chance for Ogden’s vocals to shine through. “I Just Imagined You” kicks off at a thunderous pace and will surely be a great live track. “Giving Up The Ghost” is another rockier number, with an almost Muse-like intro again showing Blossoms have a broad sound and set of influences, it’s a route that would make for interesting future endeavours.
Overall Blossoms have passed the tricky second record phase with flying colours and will surely continue to make a splash on UK airwaves and at festivals later in the year, they seem set to be one of the UK’s big indie bands for years to come and have shown a strong evolution from their debut to this new record.
