The First – Swimming With Sharks

By Andy

Swimming With Sharks is the first full length album from Brits The First and is packed full of top quality melodic pop rock tunes. This is a very commercial sounding album, slick and well produced. The opening track, aptly named ‘This Begins’ is an instrumental crescendo, luring the listener into the first full track ‘Kicks,’ a contrasting poppy number interrupted with heavy guitar riffs.

The album moves seamlessly between catchy tracks, the infectious get in your head type. The melodic vocals complement each other and are studded with the occasional scream or gang vocal. ‘Sit Tight’ bundles together oscillating tempos with heavier, more hardcore undertones with hammering drum beats. The title and final track on this album was one of my favourites. The vocals are rawer with pretty simplistic drumming and guitars, allowing the melodies to carry the weight of the song. I’m not a fan of twiddly guitar solos, so luckily the one featured in this track is pretty inoffensive.

I could almost feel the determination, if not desperation to succeed written between the tracks of this pop/rock/hardcore amalgamation. Even though a lot of different styles have been blended, The First seem to have a systematic approach to mixing them together and create a continuous sound which flows throughout the 10 tracks. Enjoyable and easy this is a definite listen for fans of the likes of You me At Six and All Time Low who want something a little less saccharine.

LIBBY EDWARDS

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