The Family Rain - Under The Volcano album review

After months of hype, debut album Under The Volcano by Bath's The Family Rain is finally out of the studio and onto the shelves. The deluxe version comprises of thirteen songs, kicking off with Carnival, which they previously released a different version of as a free download early last year. The new version (from the album) is less frantic and seemingly more mature, with added "ooooh"s for effect. Personally, I prefer the original version; raw and gritty, just how I like it, although the new one seems more fitting with the album. Next up are singles Trust Me... I'm A Genius and Feel Better (FRANK), both of which are fast-paced, in line with most of the rest of the record, and include kick-ass riffs from all members of the band, each making you want to move as much as the other.
In contrast to this, fourth track Don't Waste Your Time provides the darkest moment of the album; a slower affair, it's the song that makes you stop and think amidst the raucous of the rest. Frontman Will Walter, with backing vocals from his brothers, repeats the lyric "Don't waste your time on me, I will only let you down" with increasing intensity, until you start to believe it. Intriguingly, this track seems to have stemmed from the hidden track from the Trust Me... I'm A Genius 7" record, entitled Memento, which is INCREDIBLY dark and intense (I love it), even more so than the album track.
Following this are Reason To Die, accompanied by Kasabian-esque wails, and the extremely melodic Binocular and On My Back. Binocular is an oxymoron in a song - an upbeat, happy-happy tune but with lyrics that, in my eyes, tell the tale of a break-up which resulted in one party stalking the other, through his binoculars. Creepy.

The extremely catchy Pushing It is next, followed by slow-starter Together, one of the more forgettable tracks from the record, and then my personal favourite All The Best. The latter is a song full of sentiment and feeling, one that would be a brilliant gig-closer as it would probably provoke a huge, festival style singalong to Will's crooning of "When my world is ending / And I'm dealt a final breath / I will fill my lungs for one last time / And wish you all the best."
The penultimate two tracks are White Marble Soup, which I could imagine being sung by an old American swinging on his rocking chair on his porch with a straw hat on, and Alexander, about someone (called Alexander, funnily enough) whose mother has died, but he doesn't mind because she left him some money in her will. How lovely.
Finally is another previous single, Friction; whining guitar riffs and handclaps included, it is a well chosen end to a marvellous album from the brothers from Bath. I would recommend this album to all those who have not listened to The Family Rain yet, and, of course, all those who have. Written by Molly McGrath

7.5/10