The Moon Club, Cardiff, Thurs 15 Oct
A band whose sound is a mix of danceable ska and rocksteady afrobeat with a focused and informed political and social stance? It may seem as though I’m describing The Specials, and that’s because I am, but I’m also talking about By The Rivers.
That’s not to say By The Rivers are a carbon copy of the former, because that they are not. They use the previously mentioned ska and afrobeat and masterfully infuse them with dub, jazz and soul whilst making it their own and honouring what has come before. A tough line to tread but done with zero fault here. They also have their own unique voice that confidently shines a light on war, political corruption and the erosion of modern society. The comparisons come because no other band has effectively done this since The Specials, whose guitarist Lynval Golding has hailed BTR as his band’s successors.
It’s not all politics though: a six-piece band from Leicester using sounds from all corners of the world but maintaining a British identity, they make you long for blistering summers and long lasting beer garden weather. They talk up love and the good times as well. Regardless of the sky’s colour, in a just world these guys would be the soundtrack for everyone’s summer and beyond.
If it weren’t for their smooth rhythms gracefully holding together the many elements at play, I’d probably get lost in my own mind trying to figure out which songs of the past I am happily reminded of during their many moments of brilliance. At one point I hear glimmers of Marvin Gaye’s Trouble Man, then subtle hints of The Roots and even Jimi Hendrix. I’d even go as far as to say there are influences from The Jungle Book soundtrack.
I could highlight many songs but I’d like to mention Take Control. Beginning with a slow build that marries afrobeat and jazz, so beautifully it’d be hard to find anyone who would be against this union, and it expertly leads to one of the most satisfying moments in music I have ever experienced as a brass section busts in to your world causing jaws to drop. And it doesn’t stop – with a killer hook to follow, like a lot of their work you’re with these guys till the last note.
words DEAN GLYN MORRIS photo JOE CAMMOCK