This is the North East’s finest FORMER CELL MATES‘ third full-length and it is an album that is there to corroborate the notion that a band usually produces its most accomplished work the third time around, or else sees the beginning of the end. ‘Presented As A Work Of Fiction’ is an 11-tracker that smacks of self-assurance. They have seemingly slipped under the radar for a few years now, so it is great to see a band clearly putting out an album that they have put absolutely everything they can into. It’s rare and refreshing to hear an album so highly-produced by a band without a big label recording budget behind them.
There is laid back acoustic stuff on here, there are orchestral parts and there is brass. This may sound surprising for people who have seen this lot before, but it all works, and the dynamics on this album are what make it. UK-wise, the only band one can vaguely liken to ‘National Suite’ is Plymouth’s Crazy Arm, but really this record is more a nod to a couple of decades of college rock, US style. Your average Hold Steady fan will love this.
The standout track is ‘This City Kneels Before Me’ – detached (as is most of the rest of the album, which is not to its detriment) from political statement, it is simply a demonstration of how to write a very fine rock song, produced to massive proportions. Saying that, there isn’t really a duff track on here. Clearly vocalist (and ex-Leatherface member) David Lee Burdon has done himself proud. This is one of the best records from these shores this year so far, without a doubt.