The Maccabees - Given To The Wild Review

Third time lucky? Or do bad things really come in threes?

The Maccabees have only recently come into my preferred bands just before their third album release, 'Given To The Wild', and before this album my opinion of them was a very indie sound: twangy guitars, fast drum beats, unique voice, the usual. Listening to the first two albums built this strong view in my head, so when I heard the debut single from Given To The Wild, Pelican I was rather excited for the phonic development, whilst maintaining their style of old.

But no. Pelican is the one of the only tracks where I feel they are still themselves at heart. Given To The Wild is definitely a development of their style. Maturity, growth and to some extent sophistication are all words to describe their new album. Don't get me wrong, the album stands tall in its own right, a somewhat peaceful album compared to its priors; but if you're expecting a fast energetic album, think again. Bands need to grow and develop, which is understandable but is it sometimes too far when you consider the band to be completely different. Audiences beware and listen to this album with an open mind and you will hear its beauty. 7/10