If you have been following the UK music scene for an extended period of time, you will undoubtedly be familiar with Nai Harvest. They have arguably become one of our best exports, and garnered huge acclaim with their debut album âWhateverâ in 2013, and would ultimately result in them signing too highly credible label Topshelf Records.
Given the popularity of âWhateverâ and itâs scrappy emo that drew heavily from the likes of Cap n Jazz â and almost any Kinsella family related band â it would have been easy for the Sheffield duo to continue with that style. They could have kept doing that and people would no doubt have lapped it up, however the Nai Harvest from then is not the same Nai Harvest thatâs here now, and on their second album âHairballâ, they have truly upped their game.
Sound wise, it builds on last years âHold Open My Headâ EP, which saw them using a more chord-based approach and making more noise than you could imagine a two-piece band ever making. But even a year on, this is not âHold Open My Headâ part two either; it just makes that EP feel like the bridge that they had to cross to create âHairballâ.
Within seconds of âSpinâ kicking the album off they sound bigger than they ever have done, with Ben Thompsonâs vocals having an almost Liam Gallagher-esque tone too them as he drags the end of each line out. The warm distortion used on the drums, vocals, and guitars makes the bratty garage-punk of âSick On My Heartâ seem raw yet unpolished. It compliments the brightness of âAll The Timeâ, which is saccharine tale of wanting to be free, and the longing of wanting to constantly be on tour.
Of course there is a huge influence of 90âs alternative rock ever present on âHairballâ, which the band make no secret of. The glorious pop-rock of âMelanieâ comes on like early Teenage Fanclub, and the rerecording of âButtercupsâ from last years split with Playlounge, shares similar traits to underrated 90âs heroes Revolver with added reverb.
Considering Nai Harvest wrote the lionâs share of the album while they were on tour, it is very concise, and each song structure is well thought out. It is a world away from the disjointed nature of âWhateverâ, and they have really come into their own. While âHairballâ fuzzes in all the right places, they also know when to rein it in as well, particularly with the creamy guitar sound on âOcean Of Madnessâ. The bleak narrative of the perils of drug use dragging friends down really does hit hard, thanks to the delivery of Thompsonâs vocal sounding more honest then he ever has done.
âHairballâ is not a dark album however, and it is near impossible not to have a smile on your face while singing along to âGimmie gimme your sugar joyâ from âGimme Gimmeâ which lights the album up again. The only disappointing thing about âHairballâ is when you reach the end of the title track that closes the album, it means that itâs over. It really is THAT good that you get disappointed itâs the last song. How many albums can say they have that impact, probably not many.
Nai Harvest had to make this album, and it had to sound this way. If they hadnât then there was always that danger they could have been seen as just another âemo revivalâ band, but thanks to this album that wonât happen. Nai Harvest have clearly found the perfect sound for them, and in no uncertain terms, âHairballâ is an instant brit-rock classic.
GLEN BUSHELL