Since Kaleido Bay’s exceptional set at Marlborough Rising Talent in September last year, marlborough.news has been following the band’s progress – January saw this reporter attending their high energy gig at The Vic in Swindon and talking to the boys about their future plans.
On Friday (March 22), Kaleido Bay released their long-awaited second single: Break Me for The Better [known for short as BMFTB], on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube and other streaming platforms.
The song begins with a characteristically effervescent intro, a distorted guitar riff followed by a cacophony of in-your-face drums and electric guitars. There is a slightly more retro feel to BMFTB than their previous number, Nothing More, with its grungy, rough sound, more reminiscent of a 70s classic rock band than what you would expect of a youthful indie rock group.
The lyrics, although a little indistinguishable at times, are forcefully belted out, in contrast to the softer, more pensive tone of Nothing More. “Someone come and help me, please,” vocalist Ben Kay growls during the first verse, followed by some great harmonies accompanied by a Strokes-esque riff.
BMFTB does contain some brilliant riffs which provided a dynamic soundscape when performed at The Vic, and the drums, as always, remain solid and high-powered throughout the entire song.
The production may have let them down slightly, as the instrumental parts sound somewhat uncoordinated at times and there was some needless distortion, which was surprising considering the polished and clean-cut feel of Nothing More.
However, perhaps the listener will consider it a pleasant change from the radio-friendly, watered-down trope of many post-2010 indie rock songs.
Break Me for The Better is an eruption of classic hyperenergetic rock, perfect for fans of music with substance, performed by a talented, up-and-coming group. Their gigs are a guaranteed great night out, and you can see them at The Bear, Marlborough, in June.
Break Me for The Better can be purchased on iTunes or listened to via Spotify here.
