“High Wires” is the new ten track LP from London based Victory Kicks. What’s drawing me to this album the most at the moment is the stylistic diversity of each track in comparison to the next. This album is a journey. What makes that such a good thing is that, if you listen to “High Wires” at just the right moment in your life, it will become the soundtrack for that moment and that is a rare thing that can be said about any artist. The proof is right above this paragraph so take a listen to the previews and judge for yourself. My favorite tracks are “Writers’ Strike”, “Concept Cars”, and “High Wires”.
About High Wires:
High Wires is the fifth record to be released by the prolific London based indie rock band Victory Kicks since the band formed in 2013. It is the band’s second LP, the follow-up to their acclaimed full length debut The Decibel Age. Whilst retaining a focus on melody and riffy guitar work, the new album sees the band take a more stripped down approach with less reliance on the ambient noise and sonic textures that marked their previous effort. In many ways the record sees the band revisit the straight forward melodic power pop styling of their debut EP Rockets for Ghosts, but whilst the sound of the record is reminiscent of that earlier work, singer and songwriter John Sibley’s writing has continued to evolve. High Wires comprises ten short, sharp pop songs (the album clocks in at under 30 minutes) which are, as you would expect from Victory Kicks, loaded with arresting riffs and melodic hooks.
Two singles are to be released from the album – No Great Shakes and The North Fall – both songs are currently being featured various indie radio playlists and podcasts and will be available as free downloads from the band’s website. High Wires will be available from iTunes, Amazon and all major retailers from July 20th. The record is currently available to stream and download ahead of its official release.
About Victory Kicks:
Victory Kicks started life in early 2013 as a home recording project for songwriter and guitarist John Sibley. After writing a large number of songs and realizing that waiting around for a record deal would mean that most would inevitably be forgotten, John decided to start piecing a recording studio together at home. Old songs were finished off and new songs were written (and often recorded in the same sitting) with John handling vocals, guitar, bass and drums as well as production duties and working out how to do the latter as he went. Early EP’s and singles containing short, lo-fi pop songs were recorded and shared amongst friends and family.
Victory Kicks then went from solo project to band with the addition of friends from other London based acts and established its own record label with the release of its first official EP, Rockets for Ghosts in July 2013. Comprising seven home recorded tracks of short, sharp, catchy indie rock, Rockets for Ghosts was a success for the band garnering favourable reviews and receiving airplay for the first time on stations in both the UK and the US. ‘Ghosts was followed by the release of three singles, including the song Radio Saves which saw the band make its debut appearance on BBC Radio.
Taking the decision to record music at home would allow the band the flexibility to record new songs as and when they were written and since the release of its debut EP in 2013 Victory Kicks has built something of a reputation for prolificacy – 2014 saw the release of the band’s full length debut The Decibel Age as well as two more seven track EP’s, Emergency Noise and The Young Flood.
The band spent the first half of 2015 rehearsing for a series of live shows and recording a follow-up to their first LP, the result of these sessions was a new album called High Wires.
About John Sibley:
John Sibley is a songwriter, guitarist, drummer and record producer from the Isle of Wight and now based in London. He is best known as the singer and songwriter of the band Victory Kicks which he started as a home recording project in 2013. Sibley was originally trained on brass instruments before taking up drums and teaching himself guitar as a teenager. He has played in and produced records for various London based artists and bands over the years and continues to do so from time to time whilst focusing primarily on writing and recording his own songs with Victory Kicks.
LINKS:
http://www.facebook.com/VictoryKicks
http://victorykicks.bandcamp.com/
http://twitter.com/victory_kicks
http://www.youtube.com/victorykicks
http://www.soundcloud.com/victorykicks
