It may have taken them the best part of nine years, but the legendary Tiger Army are finally back. Their last album, ‘IV: Music From Regions Beyond’, saw them move further away from their psychobilly roots and expand the more melodic elements of the bands arsenal. They had an unenviable task ahead of them when trying to follow up such an enchanting record, but the time away has done them the world of good, making ‘V‘ the next logical step for Tiger Army and the perfect way to celebrate their 20th anniversary as a band.
Much like its predecessor, their raucous, frantic sound of old is all but gone on ‘V‘. The trademark upright bass lines that have permeated their releases are still present, providing a rigid backbone to the driving riffs of ‘Firefall’ and the shuffling rhythm of ‘Devil Lurks On The Road’. It is still a far more subdued affair this time around, expanding on the dark romanticism of Tiger Army.
‘Prisoner Of The Night’ is carried by the smooth vocal of Nick 13, with lush keys adding extra depth and hip shaking swagger. It sits alongside the doo-wop tendencies of ‘Dark and Lonely Night’ and ‘Happier Times’. In classic Tiger Army fashion, ‘V‘ has a very old time feel with images of classic cars and vintage pin-ups drawn from each composition. There are even a few nods towards 80’s synth wave, most notably on ‘I Am The Moth’.
Tiger Army have always had an obsession with the darkness and they haven’t let that slip just yet. ‘World Without The Moon’ is the perfect blend of horror-punk meets rockabilly, with Nick 13 crooning “Stay away from the poison / you must find your way home tonight” through the spooky, late-night tale told during ‘Candy Ghosts’.
Tiger Army have become one of those bands where their rabid, dedicated fan base will love their records no matter what. They are an institution, and this record just adds to their already impressive legacy.
GLEN BUSHELL