Comparisons with Johnny Foreigner and Los Campesinos! are somewhat inevitable (the glockenspiel on Interlude could well haunt them) but by no means are they re-treading old ground. There’s the strong hooks and melodic certainty that calls to mind bands like Tellison, as well as the messy euphoria of Johnny Foreigner’s earlier stuff (or Cap’n Jazz) and ‘These Cities Are Stealing My Soul’ opens with a gorgeous guitar riff that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Dananananaykroyd track.
But it would be unfair to consider Amateur Historians only in the
context of other bands; they’ve got an energy and intelligence all of
their own that marks them out. There are many excellent moments of
euphoric-emo-pop but the contrast of those with softer track ‘Interlude
/ Arterial Route From Heart’ is what shows the range of their talent.
The chorus seems almost designed to be shouted back by heartbroken
teenagers - it’s the perfect blend of clever, emotive and widely
applicable. But still with that all important sincerity.Their lyrics weave stories of beautiful cities at night, long-distance relationships and the strains and stresses of youth, all wrapped in a glorious, rousing combination of yearning guitars. With an occasional hint of glockenspiel and a certain kind of charm achieved only by bands you know are trying to create something genuine.
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