Album Review

Deaf Havana - Old SoulsDeaf Havana – Old Souls

When James Veck-Gilodi took over vocal duties and lyric writing for Deaf Havana back in 2010 he was worried that the end of Deaf Havana was near due to the extra pressure of moving into the frontman role and having to write lyrics and new songs yet 18 months on Deaf Havana went and released ‘Fools And Worthless Liars’ an album which went straight to the top of the UK rock chart and gained rave reviews across the board, a year later deaf Havana went on to re-release ‘Fools And Worthless Liars’ which came bundled with a bonus second disc which features the whole album re-recorded and totally re-worked to suit their current musical tastes.

As soon as Deaf Havana re-released ‘Fools And Worthless Liars’ they started work on their third studio album and this time around the whole writing process was breeze for the band as they started writing material for the album back in October 2012 and by January 2013 all the writing was done and the band headed to the studio and to record their third studio album ‘Old Souls’ which is now scheduled for a 16th September release.

‘Old Souls’ once again see’s Deaf Havana reinvent their sound as with their debut album ‘Meet Me Halway’ they went down the post-hardcore route, ‘Fools And Worthless Liars’ saw them go down a straight up rock route with deep and meaningful lyrics whilst their latest offering ‘Old Souls’ see’s Deaf Havana go down the stadium rock route with a massive radio play feel yet still keeping true to themselves with dark, deep and personal lyrics.

The lead single ‘Boston Square’ opens the album and what a way to start things off, the single sounds like Deaf Havana have spent a lot of time with fellow stadium rockers Bruce Springsteen and The Gaslight Anthem and this is technically true after Deaf Havana recently supported Bruce Springsteen at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for the Hard Rock Calling festival. Musically the song is massive sounding and extremely catchy with a great lead guitar and big pounding drumming but it is the vocals from James Veck-Gilodi here which are so strong easily making him contender for best British vocalist at the moment whilst also making ‘Boston Square’ one of the best songs I have heard in a long time.

‘Lights’ see’s the band go down the indie rock route where James Veck-Gilodi really does show off his vocal range as croons and his way through. ‘Everybody’s Dancing And I Want To Die’ is a massive pop/punk number with a huge chorus which will have you dancing along and singing along to the wonderful lyrics that James Veck-Gilodi lays down, the song is bound to be a future single release as it sounds like it was written for the radio with its bouncy nature, beautiful horn section and general pop-tastic feel.

With ‘Old Souls’ I feel that Deaf Havana have gone out to create the music they like and the music they want to listen to rather than creating a carbon copy of their last album, the move is a big gamble as on first listen to some of the songs featured here the fans are going to be wondering what has happened to Deaf Havana , take ‘Subterranean Bullshit Blues’ the song features a gospel singer and Deaf Havana going down a route they have never touched on in the past with a massive catchy vibe running throughout, I personally love the song but don’t think big fans of their screamy days will, but then again pretty much every song on the album sounds like something you wouldn’t expect from these guys.

‘Night Drives’ see’s Deaf Havana Deaf Havana go down the soft rock route where the song instrumentally sounds the same for the 4minute duration but it is once again James Veck-Gilodi’s vocals and well written lyrics which gets you drawn in. ‘22’ and ‘Speeding Cars’ both have the potential to be future singles as both instrumentally and vocally things are on top form with an overall catchy vibe coming through the speakers.

‘Saved’ see’s Deaf Havana go down the stripped down acoustic route and the song works well even sounding quite haunting in places. ‘Mildred’ picks the pace up again with a fast paced catchy rock number. Yet it is the epic album closer ‘Caro Padre’ which leaves you with shivers down your spine as James Veck-Gilodi sings about his absent father and you can’t help but be drawn in as he sings out “I am my father’s son, I am my father’s son, it’s clear what I have become, I am my father’s son”, the song is a musical masterpiece running for nearly 6minutes and it features so much from pounding drum beats, technical guitar riffs, bouncy bass lines, strong vocals and a set of haunting backing vocals which sounds so strong alongside the lead vocals of James Veck-Gilodi.

At the moment there are so many bands climbing to the top of the UK alternative music scene such as Pure Love, Asking Alexandria, Kids In Glass Houses, Don Broco, Young Guns, Rat Attack, Lower Than Atlantis and many others but I feel with the release of ‘Old Souls’ it is not going to be long before Deaf Havana leap above these acts and go on to be the most talked about English band of their era as ‘Old Souls’ is a masterpiece where slight influences of Bruce Springsteen, Gaslight Anthem, Kings Of Leon and even Mumford And Sons can be found if you listen carefully.

5/5

Review by Trigger

 Band Members

James Veck-Gilodi
Lee Wilson
Tom Ogden
Chris Pennells
Matthew Veck-Gilodi
Max Britton
 Track Listing

1. Boston Square
2. Lights
3. Everybody’s Dancing and I Want To Die
4. Subterranean Bullshit Blues
5. Night Drives
6. 22
7. Speeding Cars
8. Saved
9. Mildred
10. Tuesday People
11. Kings Road Ghosts
12. Caro Padre

 Band Related Links
Deaf Havana Facebook
 Review Score Code
- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
- What Was That?