The Tide and Its Takers
The Tide and Its Takers keeps 36 Crazyfists close to the sound they had already established. Heavy riffs, changing rhythms and Brock Lindow's distinctive voice remain central, with clean singing and harsher delivery sharing the arrangements. The band play with confidence, but the record is less successful at making every chorus and musical idea feel new.
The All Night Lights provides a forceful opening. Its riffs and drums give the song a concentrated attack, establishing the heavier side of the album immediately. Lindow's movement between more melodic lines and rougher vocals helps the performance retain an individual character.
The Back Harlow Road makes particularly good use of that flexibility. Quieter, melodic sections give way to a heavier response, while the vocal performance grows towards an effective peak. The tune gives the changes a clear purpose, making this one of the record's strongest examples of the band's approach.
Waiting On a War is another highlight. The guitar writing has a broader melodic shape, allowing the arrangement to feel more expansive without losing its weight. These songs show how much the band can achieve when the heavier parts have a memorable melody to work around.
The later sequence brings useful rhythmic changes. Vast and Vague combines active drums with shifting guitar figures and a forceful vocal, while Northern November finds room for less predictable rhythmic ideas. The playing serves the songs rather than turning into a display of technical ability.
The closing title track changes the scale again. Acoustic guitar gives the singing a gentler setting before the arrangement grows fuller. It provides a convincing release from the heavier material and ends the album with a different kind of intensity.
The main limitation is familiarity. Some of the instrumental choices and melodic shapes resemble earlier work without adding equally strong hooks. The bass can also become difficult to distinguish beneath the guitars, leaving the vocal to provide much of the music's individual character.
Even with those reservations, The Tide and Its Takers is a solid and carefully played record. Its best songs balance force with clear melodic purpose, showing an effective band working within recognisable limits.
