Catfish And The Bottlemen - ‘Showtime’ Review: Was the ‘graft’ worth it?
Showtime is not the storming return we expected. There are no loud hooks or anthem-orientated riffs. Equally, it’s not a particularly new direction either. It sits somewhere in the middle, opening up mixed feelings on what’s next?
★★★★★★★☆☆☆
Credit: Catfish And The Bottlemen 📸
It’s finally, showtime, for Catfish And The Bottlemen.
After announcing appearances at Reading & Leeds 2024, the comeback of indie heroes CATB has become one of the most anticipated returns on the scene.
On first listen, this is not the storming return we expected. There are no loud hooks or anthem-orientated riffs. Equally, it’s not a particularly new direction either. Showtime sits somewhere in the middle, opening up mixed feelings on where the band is heading.
This release is a softer affair. Clearly an intentional move to test the waters for fan reaction. It’s a half-brother of 2all - with elements from Homesick, rather than Pacifier.
The trouble is, it’s neither here nor there. It’s blatantly obvious the band has lost a lot of substance, and rather than hitting total ‘reset’, Van and Benji (who’s left) try and carry on.
At times, it’s confident and offers (for the first time in years) an indication of something new. There’s more focus on creating an atmosphere, rather than the immediate nature of older Catfish tunes, as Van sings about his return to music. There are also lots of new instruments at play and more thought into how the track progresses.
With fewer people making noise, the tune has room to breathe - and that space, in a way, is fairly refreshing. Most of these moments are squandered fairly quickly though, with unoriginal, misguided and lacklustre results.
Are the band trying to keep up their stadium-ready rock personas, or experimenting with a studio-first album? We genuinely can’t put our finger on it, because it doesn’t really nail either.
If you haven’t been an avid fan of the Bottlemen, we’ll fill you in. Over three albums, the Llandudno four-piece built the perfect indie-rock formula to craft anthems designed to fill massive venues. Frontman Van’s hunger for writing tunes that send crowds into a frenzy was the DNA that flowed into the rest of the band. While incredible live, in the studio the band became somewhat predictable. And critics certainly let them know.
By design, they boxed themselves into a specific niche. Only with great confidence can you avoid and escape this scenario. For CATB, the formula they started with, is still the formula they turn to. They never wanted to change.
Showtime finds itself confused, perhaps a reflection of the mindset of the band. As two members left for more creativity, Van’s dream of endless indie-rock anthems was pulled from beneath him. Then again, none of this is going to stop what remains of Catfish And The Bottlemen fill festivals this Summer. Or tours on the horizon.
Where they fall down in the Studio, they always make up for on stage. What’s next will truly set the scene for where the boys are heading. As album no.4 looms, this was purely a taste. And the intentional choice of track to start the campaign got us, and others, talking. Perhaps the duo want us guessing, or maybe they’re none the wiser.
The Bottlemen are close to our hearts. They played a pivotal role in our teen years, most of the tunes soundtracked moments we’ll never forget. The question is - was the ‘graft’ worth it?
Pick up Showtime on 7” vinyl along with merchandise now.
