Caves – Homeward Bound

A few months ago, the internet was ablaze with news of the new album from Lemuria. Known as Pebble, this album was taking the world by storm and I couldn’t wait to hear it. When I finally did, I felt empty. It was alright but didn’t nearly live up to the hype it was receiving.

Why do I start with that anecdote? Simply because the first time I head Caves’ Homeward Bound, I thought to myself “see, this is what Pebble should have sounded like.”

Caves, a three piece UK indie-pop-punk-whatever band, is undeniably catchy. They’re not revolutionary, but they’re damn fun. They’re distinctly familiar yet refreshingly unique, like that old friend you haven’t seen in a long time. They’re raw and fast, somewhat low-fi as they take cues from the early nineties recording style rather than the perfectly polished trend that happens today. Front woman Louise Hanman sounds like a cross between Laura Stevenson and the Cans, The Gateway District (and by association The Soviettes) and some slight Tsunami Bomb. Throughout it all, she’ carries herself with confidence and it comes through on the recording. I’m reminded of the same way Hayley Williams blew me away on Misguided Ghosts and All On Wanted on brand new eyes, only Hanman consistently leaves me with that feeling.

This is honest, noisy and raw all the way through, with enough change ups to keep me replaying it for hours on ends. This Music Is My Life is filled with “woahs” and upbeat energy but that’s followed by the reserved and sparse Lemuria-like Water Wings. Bad Weather throws a wrench in the mix with a hollowly acoustic number and vocals that echo in the background while Bows & Arrows has loud vocals and heavily distorted guitars. I’m Not Sorry begins like a higher energy Attack In Black before kicking into a Bambix-influenced pop-punk ditty for the No Idea Records crowd.  In fact, that No Idea vibe is found on so many tracks here, The Mess I Made, Same Way Back and Time and Time Again.

Homeward Bound is a record that came out of left field and completely captivated my attention. Energetic punk rock with somewhat muddled production quality and hooks galore makes for an album worthy of praise and your hard earned music listening time.