Federal charm – Passenger

CD:
Federal charm
Price:
11.54

Reviewed by:
Rating:
5
On 21 August 2018
Last modified:21 August 2018

Summary:

It's one hell of a good album and I have no hesitation in saying you need to buy this album.

Manchester band Federal Charm release their third album on 14th September. Fecorded at Willow Terrace studios in Manchester, it was co produced by the band and John Simms who has produced albums for Blossoms. It’s the first album to feature the new vocalist, Tom Guyer.

It’s immediately obvious when you start listening to the album that this is the best yet from the band. The vocals are excellent, but it’s not just the change in vocalist – the album is fantastic in every way. The music is great and whereas some bands seem to settle into a comfortable routine by album three, Federal Charm seem as raw and full of energy as if it was a debut album. That’s important as so often a band releases a debut that’s full of energy and hunger for success, but then as soon as they get somewhere they seem to take their foot off the accelerator and release albums that are just disappointing (yes Guns’n’Roses I’m talking about you), so for Federal charm to still have that debut album feel on album three is great.

Check out the video for the single, Choke…

The new album is heavier than the first two and has the best production to date too. The songs cover a range of subjects from abusive behaviour to the loss of more and more music venues, mans destruction of nature, and songs about behaviour such as jealousy, lies and more. It’s nice to see a band singing about these sort of things without it ever feeling like they’re preaching at you – the songs are still great rock songs that you can enjoy without focussing on the lyrics, but it’s when you dig a little deeper and focus on the lyrics that you fully appreciate the great songwriting here.

It’s one hell of a good album and I have no hesitation in saying you need to buy this album.

Federal charm will be on tour in September with The Bad Flowers and Those Damn Crows.

“Passenger” will be released on 14th September 2018

Track listing:

1. Swing sinner
2. Choke
3. Emerald haze
4. Death rattle
5. Nowhere is home
6. Get through
7. Concrete creature
8. Can’t rule me
9. Halo
10. Speak out
11. Parting words

It's one hell of a good album and I have no hesitation in saying you need to buy this album.

About Ant May

I spend half my life at gigs or festivals and the other half writing the reviews and editing photos, and somehow find time for a full time job too. Who needs sleep - I've got coffee.