Search - Capes :: Hello

Things are changing very quickly these days. You could call it a revolution, you can call it an invasion ? call it what you will, The Capes ? alongside like-minded Brits Bloc Party, Maximo Park, British Sea Power, et al. ? are rapidly catching the public?s ear. We call it a rescue. With all the stealth and superhero qualities associated with the band?s namesake, the South London quintet burst upon the scene at a time when the UK music industry had turned a deaf ear to the typically bohemian, sleazy art-rock coterie in favour of sounds coming from northern regions like Manchester and Glasgow. Soon thereafter, however, The Capes and fellow art school chums like Bloc Party, were causing quite a stir. The Capes? sound echoes bands as diverse as Blur, The Super Furry Animals, The Olivia Tremor Control, The Beach Boys to Lou Barlow and XTC, meeting somewhere in between at a huge explosion of buzzsaw guitars, squelchy old analog synths and soaring West Coast harmonies. Meeting at the ultra-cool Goldsmiths College, a hub of art, music and all things creative, Kris Barratt (vocals, guitars), Richie Gladman (keys, guitars, bv?s), and jamming together some tracks in what was to become the embryonic stages of the band. After a little while testing out drummers they brought in an old friend Rupert Phelps (drums) and started gigging. Realising they wanted to give things more sonic depth they soon recruited Cresswell?s younger brother Nick (guitars, keys, bvs) from another band and here The Capes were formed. The Capes? low key independent single releases on cult UK label Outafocus Recordings led to plaudits, reviews and plays from the like of the NME, The Times, The Independent and ultra cool Rado 1 DJ Steve Lamacq. This growing buzz led to interest from US indie upstart Hard Soul Records, which delivered the band?s debut mini-album Taste to the public this summer, and now bring you their full-length album Hello. Power Pop anthems that flaunt barnstorming guitar riffs paired with Barratt?s spiky vocals switch up with surfer-veiled honey-harmonied tracks that slow to cotton-candied sunsets boys secretly want to love. Put it on immediately and see what they?re talking about. The Capes have come to reclaim pop music from the major label monstrosity it has become, and with their freshman album "HELLO" they nail it.