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The Maccabees @ Camden Electric Ballroom, 05/05/2009

After the, perhaps slightly unexpected, brilliance of free download “No Kind Words” back in February and a handful of subsequent live dates dotted here and there, The Maccabees have finally released there second album, “Wall of Arms”, and return properly to the live setting a day later in their own glorious right.

Starting the set with the aforementioned “No Kind Words”, the band stand almost stock still as singer Orlando Weeks mumbles his dark lyrics over the building, brooding musical canvas. As the song hits it peak, with Weeks and guitarist Felix White singing “If you’ve got no kind words to say/ You should say nothing more at all”, the band are silhouetted in front of bright, blinding stage lights as the guitars crash in wave after urgent wave in the first genuinely mind blowing moment of the set.

Tonight, The Maccabees play a selection from both of their albums, alternating between the long term fan favourite alt. pop songs (“First Love”, “Precious Time”) and the grand, ambitious newer material (“Young Lions”, “Kiss and Resolve”). Despite the album being released one day previously, the crowd is instantly enthusiastic and passionate about the songs from “Wall of Arms”. “Can You Give It” inspires a mass, euphoric pogo and sing along and the way the crowd enthusiastically and immediately acquaints themselves with these new songs is happily reminiscent of the time before the band even released their debut. This passion- shown equally towards the fans from the band- from their ever expanding audience is just one of the many things that makes this band great.

With their second collection of songs, The Maccabees have also improved what was already one of their greatest qualities: the fact that they are so tightly woven together musically. Each member seems to have gotten even better and, more importantly, knows when to play and when not to.

“First Love”, understandably, nearly causes the roof to blow off. As Orlando Weeks sings the intricate and delicate love ditty, a smile flickers across his face- probably as you can barely hear his voice over the mass, heartfelt sing-along which sees a few faces nearly filled with wistful tears. It gets pretty emotional.

As the band play their final song of the night, it’s easy to tell that both the crowd and the band will be reluctant to leave. The band’s latest single, the epic, breath taking “Love You Better”, starts to an instant backing of clapping and singing. The guitars sway poignantly from side to side, pausing for breath before swooping back with full energy, as the drums rocket and roll triumphantly. As the final glory of the song washes over the crowd, a brass trio join at the side of the stage and belt out the optimistic, celebratory climax, highlighting a song which is surely the best thing The Maccabees have written.

Then it’s over, leaving the crowd sweating and dazed at what just happened. With “Wall of Arms”, The Maccabees have shown they are clearly here to stay and that, with songs like “Love You Better”, they are comfortable and capable of handling big venues and crowds with the success of a great band going on to even greater things.

“Wall of Arms” is out now.

www.myspace.com/themaccabees

No Kind Words