ONLY The Poets are a band who simply refuse to stop picking up speed, only gathering more and more momentum.
Not only do they continue to snowball, but their sound only becomes more refined, both more laser-focused and somehow more diverse as they go.
Now, the band is on the brink of their debut full studio album–a work which wears the nine years of development fully on its sleeve.
And I’d Do It Again betrays the sheer consideration which has gone into the album as a whole right from the very first track: the titular, instrumental number which serves as a palate-cleanser, shifting your focus before the album proper.
It then begins in earnest with Monumental, a song which grows from understated beginnings into OTP’s signature brand of instantly-infectious, shout-along anthems.
It doesn’t let up for the third track, one which has already proved to be one of the stand-outs of the album, having gone out as a single ahead of the album’s release this week, Emotionally Hungover.
The song is not only a well-crafted pop hit, but is also a perfect case study for what makes the band so appealing: an economy of craft, a judiciousness which does not over-embellish, and yet never undercooked or wanting.
Elsewhere on the album, it feels like Only The Poets are exploring their influences with purpose and curiosity in equal measure.
As a result, most of the songs on the album fall into one of three categories: 80s-infused, high-energy pop; 90s-inspired R&B-tinged tracks; and turn-of-the-millennium indie anthems.
All three have been twisted and tweaked to fit the OTP sound, though, especially through the production and mixing choices.
Songs like I Keep On Messing It Up and You Hate That I’m In Love feel neon-soaked, woven through with shimmering, staccato guitars and synthy splashes.
Meanwhile tracks such as Thinking Bout Your Ex, Bad, and Sake take a more louche, off-hand approach, slowing down and wallowing in more driving beats and prominent production.
The third group sees the band return to territory which has become something of a calling card: earnest and approachable indie fare which marries sentimental songwriting with engaging, undeniably catchy instrumentation and arrangement.
Among the best of these is the closing track, Guess She’s Cool, which feels reminiscent of bands such as The 1975 in its eclectic instrumentation and tender lyrical focus, but with a distinctly OTP sound.
Overall, And I’d Do It Again is Only The Poets firing on all cylinders.
The album flexes every muscle the band has, from introspective understatement to anthemic ebullience, all mixed together with judicious production and considerate cohesion.
Only The Poets are undeniable, irrepressible, and unstoppable; impressive, infectious, and endearing in equal measure–all carried with a hard-earned confidence and a disarming charm.
It may be a debut studio album, but this is a band that has been working extremely hard, and learning all the while.
If their future is even half as confident, considered, and captivating as this album would have us believe, Only The Poets are well on their way to total pop domination.
Only The Poets’ And I’d Do It Again is set for release on January 30th, and the band are celebrating the release with gigs here in Reading on January 31, followed by a historic gig at Brixton’s O2 Academy on Monday, February 2.
Full details, including where to get the album and tickets to upcoming shows, are available via: onlythepoetsofficial.com
