Bradford’s Least We Have Shoes showcase their most ambitious and mature work to date on their sophomore album Chapter Two
A fiery rising band who offer a modern take on alternative rock that is packed full of the energy and guile, Bradford’s Least We Have Shoes have pushed their sound into a more mature and ambitious direction on their sophomore album Chapter Two while managing to hold onto the gritty and energetic core of their sound that has made them such a celebrated and revered live act.
The album opens with the aptly titled ‘All In’, a name that feels appropriate for an album that the band have clearly poured their hearts into. Immediately you are met with stomping riffs and the kind of fizzy, energetic appeal that almost transports you to a warm, sweaty room full of likeminded listeners, with the lyrics touching upon themes like growing up and learning lessons in a way that feels resonating and real.
The more atmospheric ‘Cinderella’ follows, a track that has a nostalgic rock and roll feel to it that explores themes like attraction and lust through a hazy and energetic lens. The track feels like a throwback to the kind of feel-good, no inhibitions, straight-laced rock of old, and its rawness and dynamism feels refreshing throughout.
Things take a more thoughtful turn on ‘Feels Like Rain’, a more contemplative track that dives into the journey of growing into an adult and the experiences and ups and downs that come with it. The track offers a really nice contrast to what came before it, and its thoughtful lyrics and moving, relatable appeal makes for a listening experience that is packed full of charm and vulnerability.
‘Water’ follows and is a track that takes its time, building up a sense of atmospheric tension and intrigue as it painstakingly climbs towards a satisfying release of emotion that feels as cathartic and raw as it does intense. This tension seems to be fully released by the time that ‘Life On Your Feet’ rolls around, a fun and engrossing track that is packed full of ambitious, flowing instrumentation and a band that feel like they’re at the top of their game throughout.
The track that follows is ‘Monster’, another more straight-laced rock track that feels unerringly relevant and raw in recent times, honing in on the real life monsters that are around is in a variety of forms in modern life, whether they are the people around us, the people supposed to protect us, or the ones abusing their power and influence to get what they want.
On an album that is packed full of contrasts, things again take a more uplifting turn on ‘Richest Man’, a track about the kind of riches that matter, the kind that come from the love and support of your family and the people around you. There is a really uplifting and nice spirit to this track that bleeds through both the narrative and the sound, and it offers one of the more heartfelt and nice moments on the album.
Themes of facing up to your problems and not trying to hide away from them characterise ‘Running’, a track that has a more mellow and piano-driven feel to it to maximise the emotional impact of the lyrics and the heart that is poured into them. It offers what is one of the emotional high points of the album, and a track that will stick with you after your listen.
Following the breezy and suitably laid-back and charming ‘Lazy Days’, the album closes with the energetic ‘Crazy Mary’, a track that has a meandering, punky spirit to it serves as an ode to its titular character and the times they spent together and how unpredictable and special they felt. It is a track that embodies the spirit of the band as a whole really, unpredictable and wild while having a real love and sense of heart at its core, and that is something that ties the album together, through all of the highs and lows and the range of emotions that are explored throughout.
