So Long, See You Tomorrow
Caroline Records
While bands struggle to find a moniker that will work for them, stealing the name of a chain of Indian restaurants is as good a source as any, and is exactly what Bombay Bicycle club have done. All four members have known each other since their school days and continued to finish their secondary education while maintaining the band’s profile. So Long, See You Tomorrow is the fourth album from this bunch of friends.
Bombay Bicycle Club have delved into acoustic folk in the past as a break from their usual guitar pop, and So Long, See You Tomorrow is another transition for the outfit. With synth pop taking over the UK airwaves again, this North London group have decided to dabble in the electronic arts.
Much of the album is made up of expansive pop with a focus on beats and big choruses. It’s Alright Now ticks all of the right boxes, borrowing a melody that Kate Bush would be proud of, with Jack Steadman’s somewhat fey vocals sitting low enough in the mix to offer the right effect. There is something particularly Bollywood about Feel, that loses some of its authenticity when peddled by middle class English boys, but it’s one of the few missteps.
Bombay Bicycle Club are a band that would excel on the stages of festivals but are yet to quite capture that appeal on record. So Long, See You Tomorrow is a step closer to realising that vision.
CHRIS HAVERCROFT
