BEST ALBUMS OF 2014: Catfish And The Bottlemen - The Balcony

15 September 2014, 06:00 | Updated: 16 June 2017, 17:17

Melodic fun from the raucous rock band from Llandudno.

JOHN KENNEDY TALKS TO VAN MCCANN ABOUT THE BALCONY

listen to ‘X-Posure with John Kennedy podcast: Catfish And The Bottlemen on The Balcony’ on audioBoom

2014 has been a very busy year for Catfish And The Bottlemen. Van McCann (vocals), Johnny Bond (lead guitar), Benji Blakeway (bass) and Bob Hall (drums) got together in Llandudno, North Wales in 2010 and have been making giant steps in the rock biz since the release of their debut single Homesick late last year via the influential Communion lanel.

Each subsequent single has revealed more of the band's skilful songwriting, from the mysterious and dense Cocoon to the swooning choruses of Kathleen.

Their live shows have got them noticed - thanks to singer Van McCann's immediate stage presence and the tongue-in-cheek yet controversial move of offering various "favours" with the band as part of their merchandise stall offering.

But the debut album The Balcony rises above any doubts that it's all bluster. It collects all the great tracks that have snuck out over the past year - the aforementioned Cocoon and Kathleen, plus Homesick, Pacifier, Fallout and Rango - while album tracks like Hourglass show that there's a softer side to the band.