A Living Commodity. Egyptian Blue

Yesterday, 'Exit Stategy', today A Living Commodity. The new band Egyptian Blue contains more energy in it than can be captures on tape. More than my stereo and speakers can handle. There is an enormous sense of urgency on this record and it rolls over me like the steamroller over Michael Palin in 'A Fish Called Wanda'. (We both lived to tell.)

Egyptian Blue is a new name to me. The foursome, Andy Buss, Leith Ambrose, Luke Phelps and Isaac Ide, are from Colchester in the U.K. They obviously have heard all bands from around 1980 until 2022, either directly or by way of those influenced by the their predecessors. They all jump out of my speakers as it were incarnated in this foursome of enthusiastic youngsters. Yes, this album could have been released anywhere in the past 43 years, were it not for the clever way in which the sound is updated to 2023.

Egyptian Blue is more on the alternative side of the alternative rock niche. The melodies are not out to please a pop audience. My impression is that only trained ears will catch on immediately. Ears that lay the connection to the past and appreciate the abundant energy flowing from the record. The band manages to capture its energy in the studio and share it with the world. It does so with a mix of songs that are influenced by everything starting with The Gang of Four and add a little of the more alternative Britpop bands, scrapping the superfluous party element of Franz Ferdinand while keeping the energy and fitting in nicely with all the newer bands having broke through since circa 2018.

Nothing new under the sun then? No, not really, I'll cede that point. Next I start pointing to the songs that are on A Living Commodity. All the ones that are up tempo convince with ease. The band makes its point, apparently with so much ease. The slower songs are a different matter to me, but you cannot always have it all.

A Living Commodity shows a band with promise for the future and I'd say the potential to grow. Just listen to 'To Be Felt' and tell me you don't like it. For a debut album this is more than enough.

Wout de Natris