Bombay Bicycle Club

Unlike my other reviews, Bombay Bicyle Club has been around for awhile, especially in England where they hail from. They are just now hitting the states in an alarming rate, however. I first found BBC as a senior in high school when they had released three EP's "The Boy I Used To Be," "How We Are," and "Evening/Morning." Very soon after they released their first full length album, "I Had the Blues but I Shook Them Loose," mostly made up of the songs on these EP's (with a new recording of "The Hill") and a few other new ones. Understanding how young the band was when they wrote the record, (mere teenagers) gives it a quality that is outstanding. The songs are complex and way too mature for their age.
When their second album "Flaws" came out I bought it without listening to any of it or reading reviews, so when I put it in I thought I had bought a country album. The style of the music had changed so much, but once I listened past the first song I realized it was a folk album, not a country album, and BBC was still very much the same band. "The Giantess" on their first LP was a good segue into "Flaws" with it's slow melodic guitar picking and reference to the lead track, "Emergency Contraception Blues." What I love about Bombay Bicycle Club is that they are not afraid to play around with each of their songs. In "Flaws" they do an acoustic folk cover of the song " Dust on the Ground" that appears in their first record, and the song "Fairytale Lullaby" uses the same guitar riff as "The Giantess," but in a major key, and makes definite references to other riffs in the song. "Flaws" is an album that you put on during a rainy day. It's mellow and beautiful, but not boring.
They recently released their third LP, "A Different Kind of Fix." This album sounds more like their first but better and more organized and flowing. I could not stop listening to "Lights Out, Words Gone" and "Shuffle" the two strongest tracks of the album, in my opinion. The bass in "Lights Out" is something you cannot ignore and that needs to be played with all the windows down while driving through town. It's a song that you have to jam to. (Caution: Sporadic head bobbing/dancing may occur. Do not listen if you have neck or back problems.) "Fix" is much more electronic than the rugged guitar of "Blues" but it doesn't take anything away from the record.
While Bombay Bicycle Club is amazing in my opinion, (I literally recommend them to everybody) you may have to get used to Jack Steadman's vocals. He has a good voice but it is vastly unique. And the good news is they are working on their fourth album now!! Of course us Americans probably won't get it for awhile because it will take so long to get here, but for now we can just bask in the amazingness of their first three records. The EP's are worth buying as well. (I personally enjoy the original recording of "The Hill" much more than on "Blues.") "You Already Know" is a song that is not on their first record but one that you cannot pass up on.
Look up the video for "Lights Out, Words Gone" on YouTube. It's a live version and it's amazing!
Seriously, do not pass over this band!!!! You'll thank me later.

Songs to look up (this might be a lot so bear with me. I freaking love BBC):
The Hill
You Already Know
Always Like This
Magnet
The Giantess
Many Ways
Ivy & Gold
How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep
Your Eyes
Lights Out, Words Gone
Shuffle