Search - IV Thieves :: If We Can't Escape My Pretty

IV Thieves emerge as the next big band from England!

Ryan Jurnecka | CA, United States | 10/20/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"At last, another band from England comes along to excite the U.S.'s ears. Some might argue that the Artic Monkeys have this credit, but was it really proper British rock n roll?

Well the IV Thieves doesn't leave this to doubt. They're the real deal. Carrying their influences on their sleeve (Beatles, Oasis, Kinks to name a few) it is like they put them all in a blender and hit, "frappe", and somehow, made it all their own.

This also comes as no surprise since they've recently toured with many big names including no other but Oasis and Paul Weller.



"You Can't Love What You Can't Understand" - This album starts off with a bang. Literally from the crash of the cymbal. Being their debut single, it is the most mainstream-sounding, poppiest track of the album. The chorus is slightly generic, yet addictive, which makes for unexpected catchiness.

Good track overall, however almost misleading..as the album only gets better.



"Catastrophe" - With a Kinks-esque opening, it immediately will grab your attention. The verses sound sweet, then progresses into more bitterness as the song goes on. Until the explosive chorus, where you could almost imagine a Lennon or Liam Gallagher belting out the angry, heartache lyrics. A song anyone who has been hurt by their ex can listen to!



"Take This Heart" - A straight-up rock n roller. Almost sounds like a really really good Jet rocker. Simple chord progressions, and just something you dont have to struggle to nod your head to.



"The Sound and the Fury" - Just the title of the track got me interested. And this is one of the real diamonds of the album. Very psychedelic, almost Mama's and Papa's ish in its vocal qualities. The chorus very reminescent of something from the Beatles' Revolver. Brilliant song for any British 60s music fan.



"The Day is a Downer" - Heavily Kinks inspired, as you can tell by the title. Its all about the drearyness of common life, and then launches into a Hamburg-Beatles bridge. It'll take one listen to like this song.



"Higher" - It's not hard to think you're listening to Oasis with this track. Liam could sing the lead vocals, that could be Noel with the high harmony and lead guitar work. That' the Oasis wall of sound. But yet its the Thieves. And yet, they could pull it off as their own somehow.



"Mother's Dilemma" - Another Kinks-esque song, about the plight of all our mothers out there. It's all about the lyrics in this song, but the melody is charming as well!



"All The Time" - Starts with a total classic British opener, of vocals only. And launches into a undeniable 60s inspired British rock n roll song. Expect this to show up in a car commerical sometime.



"Die In Love" - A rather dark song about the likely hood of dying alone and not in love. Kinda depressing, but edgy as hell. Great little jaded rocker.



"Have Pity" - Classic rockin' blues here!! Almost Zeppelin here, vocals sometimes have elements of a Plant quality. Really a lot of fun to listen to.



"Lay Me Back Down" - The piano intro exposes the Kinks influence yet again! Great melody changes, great vocals, has the backwards guitar. A very Revolver feel to this song as well. Classic.



"Chase Me Off/On" - The album ends like it begins; with something that sounds completely different from the rest of the album. A very mellow track, and a nice closer to this album with a very mature sound to it.



Noel Gallagher was onto something when he said, "They'll be one of the biggest bands in Britain. They're pretty special, man.."

And that's saying a lot.



Love straight-up British Rock n Roll? You'll love the IV Thieves."

They wear their influences proudly

Timothy G. Niland | New Jersey, USA | 10/25/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Singer-Songwriter Nic Armstrong has gotten all democratic and taken his name off the marquee, joining his former backing band in the IV Thieves. They also ditched England for the hothouse music scene of Austin, Texas and recorded this album which combines shaggy garage rock and roll with Beatle-esque pop flourishes. The album has a couple of rockers that have been groomed as singles like "You Can't Love What You Don't Understand" which has a roomier more well produced sound, and "Take This Heart" which adds some psychedelic touches to the fist pumping chant along lyrics. The most interesting songs come later as the band mines the Revolver/Rubber Soul sound of the Beatles quite deeply with complex but pleasing harmonies on "Catastrophe" and the scorching "Take This Heart." Escape the home country if they like, but they still sound like an English rock band in the lineage of Oasis and The Libertines whice are pretty heavy company, so there's nothing wrong with that. While they haven't yet become a very original group, they wear their influences proudly and make good, tight retro-rock. If any of the bands mentioned above strike your fancy, this disc might be something you would enjoy as well."

He has escaped, really... buy the debut instead

Alan L. Holt | San Francisco | 10/24/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"In a nutshell, this is nowhere near as good as the debut which was in my humble opinion flawless... even if they did borrow from Ray Davies and Donovan from time to time. For this CD they unfortunately used a differn't producer [it sounds boring and flat compared to Liam Watson's brilliant but simple production on the debut], they shortened the band name to the IV Thieves, have crappy artwork /no real liner notes... all of which has turned these guys into an average english rock band, there are a few decent tunes on here but nothing as striking or as memorable as what was on his debut [Nic Armstrong & The Thieves] It's unfortunate because I thought these guys were really doing that retro thang sincerely... better than most. I say it's almost tolerable [buy at your own risk] if you prefer sweet sincere melodic songs with a dash of old timey rock n roll then pickup the debut... either way they are probably still a great live band."