From start to finish, the album is filled with bright, infectious indie/alternative tracks and serves as a beautiful celebration of the band’s love for music. It’s also a great document of a band that, at the time, was only just breaking through.
‘Swings And Waterslides’ opens the album and was the band’s first single. Originally released in 2015, the track entered the UK Singles Chart following the band’s deaths in February 2016, eventually peaking at number 11. The single showcases perfectly what the band was about: it sounds summery and encapsulates those summer nights and going out. You also had ‘Go Outside’, an upbeat track tackling the idea of seeking escapism.
Then there’s ‘Cherry Vimto’, a fun jam of a song which is punchy while also being a sweet love song about wanting to stay with someone. ‘Really Wanna Call’ similarly deals with youthful love and impatience. These two tracks highlighted the youthful spirit and excitement the band carried through their music and lyrics. Pairing that spirit with lead singer Kris Leonard’s northern vocals made the songs stand out.
The album also includes ‘Get To Dancing’, taken from the band’s BBC Introducing session at Maida Vale. It feels like a must-have on the album because of its powerful vocals and fiery guitar hooks. It’s a song that instantly makes you feel like you’re at a party, so powerfully encapsulating dancing and having a good time. Other tracks on the album, ‘Drunk’ and ‘Like A Fool’, were also exceptional indie tracks which captured the positivity and love that the band so expertly crafted through their music.
Completing the album is a track that really defined the band: ‘Boys That Sing’. It has some of the catchiest and most fun lyrics on the record, paired with a unique opening to the song. The lyric “The Mona Lisa / Would wanna be her” became so synonymous with the band and instantly showcased the quality and fun within their songwriting.
Alongside the album’s release came a mixed-media music video for 'Boys That Sing', which combined animated characters with footage of the band, and live-action shots from Warrington. The video really showed how much of their home town was embedded in the band, along with the town’s love for them and the lasting impact they had through their music and this album alone.
Before the album’s release, at that year’s Glastonbury Festival, Coldplay paid an emotional tribute to Viola Beach during their headline set. Chris Martin spoke about creating an alternative future in which Viola Beach could “headline Glastonbury for a song”, before footage of the band performing ‘Boys That Sing’ appeared on the screens and Coldplay played along live.
It’s something you always think of when you think of the Warrington band and the album as a whole. It still gives you goosebumps and lives in the memories of fans even years later, showing both the power of music and the exceptional quality of what Viola Beach were creating.
There may only be nine songs on the album, but every track feels like it has meaning and each captures what the band was and the positivity they brought throughout their short career. Every time you go back to this album, it feels quite emotional on one hand, but on the other it brings so much joy in remembering the band. It’s one of those records that gets better with every listen.
If you haven’t checked this album out, it’s one you definitely need to, especially during the summer months. It’s a record that feels endlessly bright and summery.
The album finally received its first vinyl release in 2022, pressed onto a rainbow-coloured picture disc which paid homage to the signature image of the band holding rainbow umbrellas. It was a fitting tribute and a special way of remembering the band. In June 2026, the record was pressed again for its tenth anniversary, once again as a limited-edition rainbow picture disc.
The memory and music of Kris Leonard, Jack Dakin, River Reeves, Tomas Lowe and their manager Craig Tarry will always live on through their music and their impact as a band.
Jack Smith
Image: 'Viola Beach’ Official Album Cover