London quartet Saint Clair have been quietly building a reputation as one of the more intriguing acts in the UK’s alternative rock scene. Their energetic live performances and guitar-driven sound have drawn comparisons to indie stalwarts such as The Pixies and Radiohead. With the release of their debut EP ‘Something To Be Said’, Saint Clair now have an opportunity to let their music define their identity.
From the outset, it is obvious that there is an assurance to Saint Clair that belies the fact that this is a debut EP. The band understand that a statement introduction isn’t just about intensity and volume. The four songs are cleverly curated to emphasise their ability to balance explosive power with vulnerability. Saint Clair cite their own influences as The Strokes and Supergrass, while wanting to be known as a “songs band” rather than for their technical musical ability.
The EP begins with their debut single, the emotional powerhouse that is ‘Too Young To Notice’. Lawrence Bordean’s heavy, distorted guitar and Beth Diana’s driving drums open the track before Toby Bardsley’s melancholic vocals come in. The comparisons to Radiohead are obvious in the understated vocal delivery, but the powerful synergy of guitars and drums also evoke early Oasis. The four-some make clever use of light and shade, with pauses in the driving beats and vocal shifts that bring focus to the lyrics which deal with the growing pains of youth.
After the heavy soundscape of the opener, the stripped-back guitars and Adam Anderson’s understated basslines on ‘Gretchen’ further emphasise the musical shades the band are capable of delivering. Above all, the song showcases Bardsley’s vocals as his achingly honest delivery describes a failing relationship. ‘Gretchen’ is a song that elevates Saint Clair from being just another indie guitar band to one forging their own identity.
'Something To Be Said’ returns to the guitar and percussion wall-of-sound with the initial bars recalling the opening atmosphere of Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’, before veering into heavier territory. Here, though, we replace Chris Martin’s floaty falsetto vocals with Bardsley’s elegiac delivery over a plodding drumbeat that rises to an emotional crescendo as the layer of distorted guitars comes in. And, again, the quartet use empty space in the track as a powerful instrument in itself to emphasise the song’s message.
The EP closes with ‘Warm’, which leaves us in no doubt about Saint Clair’s indie-rock pedigree. It’s a song which showcases musical synergy with the relentless drums, crashing guitars and driving bass all getting their moments in the light. Bardsley uses the instruments as a perfect foil as his voice rises and falls with the musical changes. Like ‘Two Young To Notice’ before it, this is a track which would feel at home at the peak of Britpop but one which better defines who Saint Clair are.
Across these four tracks, Saint Clair manage to introduce their musical identity, with a confidence which shows maturity beyond their years together as a band. The use of distorted guitars, heavy drum and bass arrangements will inevitably draw parallels to the Britpop giants of the 1990s. Yet, Bardsley’s vocal range and delivery combined with the clever use of musical shades give us both familiarity and something that marks them as a band that deserves our attention. ‘Something To Be Said’ feels like the prologue to a much bigger story.
Andrew Butcher
Image: 'Gretchen' Official Single Cover