Having become stalwarts on the British music scene for quite some time, it’s a bit strange that Deaf Havana were always somewhat overshadowed by the success of their peers. Having taken time to work their way around some line-up changes and other issues that threatened to pull the band apart, the truly impressive All These Countless Nights comes after a tough few years for the band.
Their fourth album isn’t so much of a departure from the sound that has become familiar, and is more of a mature version of the sound that earned Deaf Havana their fan base around their first release. Songs like L.O.V.E are reminiscent of their earlier releases, and won’t sound out of place when played among their earlier tracks, and Sing is quite easily one of their heavier tracks since way back when. Other tracks like Trigger are among some of the most radio friendly songs put out by the band, but are some of the best moments on the album, both lyrically and musically. The verses feel almost restricted, before launching into an anthemic chorus, and the song will make a definite live favourite.
Having been a turbulent few years, both personally and professionally, vocalist James Veck-Gilodi has had a considerable amount to write about. There’s always been a deeply emotive quality to his lyrics – often with a bit of a negative undertone – and there are moments on the album that are really quite beautiful. St Paul’s is a love song that should feel cliched but is actually heartwarming, which marks a bit of a departure from the tone of some of their previous albums. Other tracks such as Happiness and Pensicola, 2013 are contemplative and, at their cores, kind of hopeful.
With their fourth album, it seems as though the band have refined their sound into something that both stays true to their roots as a band, and shows a tremendous amount of growth since their beginnings. They’ve managed to develop their sound into something that is their own, without losing touch with what made them so loved to begin with.
8.5/10
For Fans Of: Mallory Knox, We Are The Ocean
Standout Track: Trigger, Happiness, Pensicola, 2013
Written By: Emily Laws
You can check out our recent review of Deaf Havana in Bristol, along with a photo gallery, HERE.
