The Struts, who formed in Derby in 2009, have the feeling of a band slightly out of time and their début album certainly harks back to the days of Britpop to quite a blatant extent, but there’s something a bit too polished about them to really convince me they’re the real deal. Indeed, a quick scan through the writing and production credits reveals the hands of Hedges & Butler (a duo who are known more for working with pop acts such as Ronan Keating, Joe McElderry and Steps), Joe Wilkinson (a songwriter behind hits by Union J, Alexandra Burke and One Direction) and ex-New Radicals songwriter Gregg Alexander. In other words, if you’re seeking the next big indie hope, The Struts may not be the band you’re looking for. However, that isn’t to say that the album is actually bad, that would be unfair. It’s all perfectly listenable, it just feel a little too generic and unchallenging. The phrase “cleverly marketed” comes to mind because “Everybody Wants” (again, quite a “clever” title) simply has too much of a commercial sheen at times and it just doesn’t feel like an indie band album. This is a record which seems to have been carefully devised with target audiences and radio play in mind, with quite a few experienced industry minds crafting every aspect of it. I bought this album mainly because of some rave live reviews (so at least they can really play) and after watching a couple of videos on YouTube. I actually feel a bit conned, if I’m honest.
Thing is, there are actually a handful of appealing, catchy songs on here. Opening track “Roll Up”, a deft composition with a big chorus that has more than a hint of Kaiser Chiefs is an impressive start to the album, “Could Have Been Me” is a likeable song which, if not for Luke Spiller’s engaging vocal delivery, would probably have been a big hit for the likes of McFly and “Black Swan” has the classy feel of a dead-cert hit. However, outside of those three songs, the album is a bit less easy to listen to. For anyone who has a broad knowledge of music over the last few decades, listening to The Struts’ début album turns into a game of trying to work out which song each Struts track sounds like (“My Machine”, for example, audaciously steals an entire riff from a well known Supergrass song) because, unfortunately, very little here sounds fresh and original. I hear Primal Scream, Kasabian, Queen… even Republica. Sadly, the lyrics are also tediously generic (girls, sex, cars), lack wit and do little to suggest that the band actually have anything to say. Still, whilst I dislike the premise and overall feel of this sheep in wolves’ clothing band, I can’t help but, annoyingly, like a few of their songs, because they’re well-crafted, enthusiastically performed slices of pop with a classic rock/indie influence (as calculated as it may be) and I’m not immune to appreciating an expertly-written pop song, as much as I resist them.
There is something about “Everybody Wants” which means that a younger audience who have a preference for guitar music and a more limited knowledge of all the bands this album has been “influenced” by will probably thoroughly enjoy this indie-by-numbers knockabout. I have no doubt that the songs here will appeal to many people and, given radio play, there is no reason why they shouldn’t be successful, but, in my opinion, they lack originality, there are big questions as to the band members’ songwriting talents, given the fact that they have employed professional songwriters to supply the material (with the old pop trick of adding the band’s songwriters’ names to each song to give the impression that they wrote everything) and the only song wholly written by members of the band that shows real promise is “Black Swan”. Quite honestly, it’s a pop album that many people will get a great deal of enjoyment out of, just like many people love Olly Murs, One Direction, McFly and the kind of other mainstream chart fodder I generally avoid like the plague, but I doubt that many people who like real indie music will get a lot of satisfaction out of this album. In fact, that sums up my most serious reservation about them; they are a record-company controlled pop act pretending to be an edgy indie band whereas they’re actually about as edgy as a mini Babybel… and sometimes almost as cheesy. Disappointing.
“Everybody Wants” The Struts was released on 28th July, 2014, and is out now on Future Records Ltd (under license to Virgin EMI Records, a division of Universal Music Operations).
Andy Sweeney, 31st July, 2014.
There was something about this bad I didn’t quite like but also really liked at this same time. You hit the nail right on the head.
band*
Say what you will… Best album I’ve heard this year… Got my tix for their Philly show… Nuff said.
What a jaded review! Every band in history has it’s influences that it’s drawn upon, including bands like Led Zep to the Stones to Clapton, etc… but I’m sorry, you just can’t fake Luke Spiller! He’s the real deal! The Struts are influenced by the bands they love and carrying on in the tradition where they left off. Did kids in the 70’s recognize all the riffs that Zep “borrowed” from their 50’s influences? No. Did that stop Led Zep from making those riffs their own and their songs still being played to this day? No. Now I do understand why the USA record label chose to only release an EP of the Struts strongest songs. It created quite a concise and powerful package – and it worked! They blew me away and I am thrilled to have a band that makes me feel the way their music makes me feel! By the way, take a look at the number of producers or song writers on almost any hit band’s album (Maroon 5, for example). With enough money backing a band or artist, they, or their label, will hire ghost writers, players, and producers which no one ever even knows about and this, my friends, happens more than the public realizes. (I’m in the industry so I know about it) Give this band and their audience, whom you also insulted, a break! Anyway, I’ve got my tickets to see them in Buffalo, NY in October and I would have made the trip to see them in PA if the shows didn’t sell out before I had a chance to get tickets. I can’t wait to see them and know it’s going to be a fantastic show!!
So I am a bit late to comment on this post, but here it is!
I got into The Struts this summer, and loved their catchy songs, but I think they are trying to hard to be too many rock subgenres in one. Glad you’ve confirmed they’re using a New Radicals writer, because when I’ve pointed out some songs sound just like them, people don’t agree! Point proved!
Where Did She Go is a bit of a rip-off of The Fratellis sound interspersed with The Darkness style guitar flourishes. The verses in Royals sound like the verses in Kaiser Chiefs’ Oh My God. I am by no means a music expert, so if even I can pick up the exact songs they have pinched ideas from, you know they’re so unoriginal.
It Could Have been me starts like Let’s Lightning by Pull Tiger Tail and ends up with a chorus lifted from Sum 41’s Fat Lip
Worst of all, Luke Spiller’s imitation of Freddie Mercury has gone too far, with this copying photoshoots, stage costumes, facial expressions, stagecraft and mannerisms from him. They would make an absolutely fantastic covers band.
Your review is perfect and I wish more people would see this and agree! Thank you!
Bang on!
The song “Royals” – not on Everybody Wants is a rip off of the ‘up-and-down’ verses of Oh My God, by the Kaiser Chiefs.
Black Swan reminds me far too much of Fresh Start Fever by You Me At Six.
About 3 songs sound like New Radicals, so not surprised Gregg Alexander is involved. Put Your Money on Me is like The Boo Radleys too.
I Just Know is an attempt to sound like Led Zeppelin.
Roll Up reminds me of Panic! At The Disco accompanied by that seaside organ music fade out, which is ‘inspired’ by Brighton Rock and Seven Seas of Rhye by Queen.
Let’s Make This Happen Tonight is a badly ripped off Rolling Stones/Oasis attempt.
It Could Have Been Me is Sum 41’s Fat Lip at a slower tempo.
See also the frontman Luke…he posts photos of Freddie Mercury, then has identical photos of himself made in the same position. Has he been told to do this by record companies? Because they’re only becoming big since he took on the late Queen frontman’s persona.
On stage, he does that audience call back, and handclaps thing, a la Live Aid, drinks wine on stage like Freddie, bows like him and dresses in Freddie style clothes, made by Freddie’s designer. I feel these are pretentious frauds.
Interesting review of the band.
You suggest that they are too ‘polished’, maybe that’s what happens after playing together for half a dozen years.
You also mention the word ‘indie’ a few times ie ‘if you’re seeking the next big indie hope, The Struts may not be the band you’re looking for’ and ‘they are a record-company controlled pop act pretending to be an edgy indie band’ as if not being indie is in some way ‘uncool’ and lacks some sort of musical credibility (which reeks of elitism). It’s as if you are dismissing them as something for those who don’t know any better. If the band had in any way claimed any ‘indie’ credentials, then you may have had a point, but they haven’t.
You pretty much say that you are annoyed at yourself for liking a few of their songs which just comes over as good old musical snobbery.
All in all a pretty snotty review (and at the end of your review you use the words ‘pretentious frauds’…irony overload).
I”m 52 and heard them on the alt radio station and couldn’t wait to get to my laptop to download the album. I can give a rats ass who they borrowed from, they sound great and I actually love the tribute to Freddie!!! I’ve listened to nothing but this album all weekend and can’t get enough. Rock N Roll is alive and well thanks to bands like The Struts!!!
Awesome – we will be accepting donations of rat’s asses shortly! In the meantime Andy’s review continues to divide opinion – but as long as rock ‘n’ roll is kept alive somehow we’re happy!
Surprised the monumental Waterloo Sunset ripoff – She Makes Me Feels Like – wasnt mentioned in the article or comments.
This was easily one of our more controversial reviews, with opinion polarised between those upset it was too harsh and those upset it was not harsh enough!