The epicentre of pretty much all of music in England is London. Many artists/bands emigrate there in search of fame and fortune, but there are some who stick to their principles and continue to build a strong, home fanbase. The likes of The Smiths, Oasis and Arctic Monkeys (at least in their early years) did this and that – among other characteristics – is what up-and-coming indie rock group, Orphan Boy hold very dear. The band describe their music as ‘Council Pop’ – a Northern idiom for tap water – and their third album, Costal Tones, is clearly the sound of the North of England (and as a Doncaster lad, this is something I hold dear to my heart). Hailing from Cleethorpes, one of the North’s coastal hotspots, Orphan Boy take influence from what they know: The Great North. Their songs capture the neglected areas of the country, and like Morrissey, Noel Gallagher and Alex Turner, they tell it how it is.
Coastal Tones begins with a sound that is unmistakeably ‘Cleethorpes’. An ice-cream van’s jingle opens the suitably dismal “Beats Like Distant Tides” and the depiction of a neglected North is illustrated by a “rain cloud” that causes lead singer, Rob Cross to “lose [his] hunger”. The fact that the British music industry (along with the government and any real decision making) deserts any idea of representing the North (despite there being real examples of brilliance from the region) is also referenced throughout the album as austerity-ridden areas such as Doncaster, Pontefract and Scunthorpe are given their airing. Moreover, the spoken word part to “Thirtysomething Lovesick Ballad” definitely takes influence from ’90s Yorkshire, as the song is informed by structural and lyrical devices used in “F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.” from classic Pulp album, Different Class and it’s a clear highlight and a cracking way to finish an album. It’s portrayal of ‘a day in the life’ really speaks to anyone in this classist society, and as the album ends how it begins (with the sounds of Orphan Boy’s coastal hometown), there’s a true satisfaction found from experiencing this strong record.
The roots of the groups’ influences are the greats of British alternative rock music, while infusing their own character into what could be considered a ‘shout-out’ to the likes of The Stone Roses, The Jam and The Smiths. As riffs are aplenty, drums are smashed to breaking point and a real emotionality and pride is held in Cross’ voice, it seems as though Orphan Boy have really gone all-out to form an album that truly shows what the British music industry are missing out on.
The group have paid their dues; playing gigs in places that many bands/artists neglect, and they have built up their following in a natural, back-to-basics way that bands such as The Beatles did ‘back in the day’. Songs such as “Transpennine” demonstrate this as the group really put out a fantastic song that, by rights, should be hitting the UK Top 20 (but we all know how unjust modern pop is). The raw vocal, backed by an energetic band, screams Courteeners and the lyrics, again, paint a picture of what Orphan Boy know: their surroundings. This is what really sets good lyricists apart and the aforementioned likes of Morrissey and Alex Turner have gained recognition for telling us about the Northern landscapes. After this fashion, Cross delineates a skyline with “nicotine stained fingers” protruding from the surrounding area with the lyrics of “On a Nelson Skyline”. This image is illustrated on the cover art, and these sort of sights are no longer uncommon in an increasingly industrialised North.
Each member of Orphan Boy brings tangible qualities to Coastal Tones, and each instrumental part is key to forming something more than their parts. Coastal Tones is a strong album from a band that have paid their dues and it’s a crime that this group are not gaining more recognition for their work.
Release: 25th May 2015
Genre: Council Pop / Indie Rock
Previous Works: Passion, Pain & Loyalty (2010) and Shop Local (2008)
Influences: The Jam, The Smiths and Pulp
You can pre-order Coastal Tones on iTunes (which you can find here).