ALBUM REVIEW: What We Do To Feel – Lonely The Brave

Cambridge might be best known for its university, but the prestigious city has also produced a lot of great rock bands. Take LONELY THE BRAVE for example; the five-piece have released three albums so far, including their critically-acclaimed debut The Day’s War, and with inspirations ranging from BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN to PEARL JAM to DEFTONES the band have a wide sense of variety in their music. But what is most important to them is connection, and their new album What We Do To Feel celebrates this. Recorded in snatches of precious time throughout the day, the result is a cathartic and joyful album that will please old and new fans alike.

From the opening notes of Long Way, this album is a special one. This is only new vocalist Jack Bennett‘s second album with the band, but you wouldn’t know it as he fits the role like a glove and his dulcet tones really make the album come alive. The entire record is a masterpiece, and each song tries something a little different. For example, The Lens is a mid-tempo rock song, whereas Our Sketch Out is mellower. The different paces don’t feel forced in any way; they are a natural progression, and each song has something new to bring to the table, resulting in an album that is nuanced and fun. Colour Me Sad is a slow-paced rock song that really makes the most of guitarists Ross Smithwick and Mark Trotter as their riffs carry the track.

Elsewhere, interlude The Ramp shines a spotlight on drummer Gavin Edgeley and bassist Andrew Bushen as the slow instrumental smoothly transitions into In The Well, which is a sombre song that really shows the band’s darker side. It is a beautiful track that also serves as a perfect introduction to the last few songs on the album. Eventide is a mid-tempo number that includes a violin; Unseen is a piano-led track that gets more intense as it goes on; and closing track The Bear is a euphoric and triumphant one that will translate well live. The pacing of the album is brilliant because the songs build upon one another, and the variety of tempos means that the album is never bogged down by tracks that feel one-note.

Overall, What We Do To Feel is a fantastic album for both old and new fans of LONELY THE BRAVE. The band are having the time of their life on this album, and it is clear that this is a passion project for them. There are no dull songs; instead, each builds upon the one before it as the band explore slower songs, faster songs, and even include some different instruments towards the end to offer an exciting glimpse of the future.

Rating: 9/10

What We Do To Feel is out now via Easy Life Records.

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