When British guitar music looks for pointers, it often throws around the same requests. It wants music that is quick out the stops, can pack in a chorus that shadows everything else around and it needs to be culturally or socially relevant, or at least to an extent. Last year, we had the likes of The Bohicas, Demob Happy and perhaps the likes of Drenge before that. Each has stumbled slightly since departing upon their journey, however, they each made a valid point for that year. If you are to need a quick reminder of what it is like in 2016, Spring King may just be your answer. If you are lucky enough, they may stick around for the long haul too.

Spring King root themselves in the North West of the country and have become renowned nationwide for what can only be described as putting the punch into a priceless live performance. Chaotic, riddled with singalong choruses and more than anything, purveyors of energy. Energy that is so essential in a live performance, they can find the suppleness in anybody’s stagnant character, urging you to get involved. After seeing them at The Hope and Ruin, their interesting surge of Eagles of Death Metal lead for one of 2016’s most exceptional shows. Tell Me If You Like To has been an album that has been a very long time coming. Frontman and producer Tarek recruited the band himself, based largely around songs that he had previously written. Interestingly, for a name that roots itself in Tarek’s previous nickname ‘Spring King’ following his love of spring reverb when producing other material, the reverb is very stripped back in what is a robust, to the point album.

The album has largely been released to an extent already, as it stands it is ten tracks long, six of which have already been released either as singles or on previous EPs, therefore it’s fair to say that much of the material is old. Is this a bad thing? Well, fortunately for Spring King, the sound does not deviate too much from the singles, all of which are compelling listens. Opening with ‘City’, previously released on 2015’s They’re Coming After You EP, a quick drum fill thrusts you head first into the pit of vipers that bite at your heels throughout the riveting pace of the song. The lyrics become second nature to you following one quick listen through, it is literally that memorable. The dynamics however are what really bolster ‘City’ as a song; no section grows tiresome, and the constant divergence in volume give you a surprise around every fifteen second corner. The tempo never changes, grabbing you by the hair within the first five seconds and dragging you through the rest. It leans upon a cleaned up garage-rock sound, it’s as if somebody took Black Lips and gave them a clean down, shaved the scuzz off the edges and packaged it for you. It is behind this stripping back that Spring King find their angle.

‘Detroit’ is next up. Once again, it featured as a single before the album release, so it is nothing new to the listener’s lugs, however, it carries with it the same promise. The slightly muggy guitar sound pummels into the rhythm more so than previously but once again, it is the chorus that really shows the prowess in Spring King’s songwriting. It is impossible to shake The Beach Boys influenced harmonies in the chorus that allow for the vocals to take off and soar, never looking back over their Mancunian shoulders: “I don’t wanna be anywhere else / Except for Detroit City” – neither do we following a flying listen through this. The bellowing theme continues through to ‘Who Are You’. It is as raucous as a toddler in a highchair, its temperament throws guitars from left to right, all whilst Tarek yells his frustrated lyrics over the top. The scream of “who are you” cuts over the top of the chorus, swamped in delay, it echoes around before being intersected by a saxophone section. An interesting turn from the guitar to say the least, hey, Spring King can keep us on our toes too.

When the album finally turns to unheard material, it comes in the form of ‘It’s So Dark’, a slightly more melancholy change; it becomes a little more downtempo and self-questioning. Intriguingly, the song still manages to incorporate a singalong chorus, it seems the knack of the chorus rests upon generally simplistic lyricism but the tribal drumming pattern gives it a platform to elevate itself. The lyrics roll along with the tempo. As a song, it doesn’t pack quite the punch of the previous three tracks. It feels a little lethargic; the dynamics do not change so much and the bombarding of volume is all but omitted.

This feels like the general theme though. Tell Me If You Like To falters around the material we are yet to hear. Kind of similar to when you are a child and you look in your parent’s wardrobe and find the best presents unwrapped, sitting waiting for you and then you are surprised on the morning by your gran’s incessant taste for another Lynx shower pack. ‘Take Me Away’ as a song lacks any sincere substantiality, it barely gets out of the starting traps never mind run around. ‘Tell Me If You Like To’ is the best of the unheard bunch and attacks in a way similar to The Clash, Tarek’s voice spits over the top of hurried rhythm sections. It seems they find their bite once more before losing it again on ‘Heaven’. It seems that although Spring King can really put together the fantastic in the quick fire tempo, they lose their mojo somewhat within the ballads. ‘Heaven’ feels rushed as a song, it doesn’t offer much divergence, it bleats along with the motion of a tired camel, never really moving anywhere from the start.

Obvious singles such as ‘Rectifier’, ‘Demons’ and ‘The Summer’ scream themselves, they are each packed with energy and act as testament to how great Spring King are in a live setting. These are the type of songs that form the basis of fantastic football songs, they are anthemic and far superior to the other songs on the record. ‘The Summer’ suggests that Spring King are multi-seasonal. The build up through the chorus taking into account mass backing vocals bolsters the song beyond your wildest dreams. ‘Demons’ has an Arcade Fire groove running through with the incorporation of keys, an accumulation of this and the murky, fuzzed guitar break gives another angle on the debut.

It becomes apparent that the singles on Tell Me If You Like To are significantly the stronger songs, leaving the rest caught up in the deadbeat bush at the side of the road. Fortunately, the singles are that good that they lead the album, which remains to be a fantastic listen. It may be that Spring King are a singles band, but you kind of wonder when will they run out of steam. The diversity on the album rarely veers from the quick-fire guitar rock’n’roll, it barely stops for a breath throughout and when it tries, it is more an exhausted wheeze. Will they stick around as a group? Here’s hoping.
Tom Churchill

Website: springkingband.com
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