Everything Is

by

Nine Black Alps

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This may well be the best album that no one knows about. Don't worry though, within a year, many people in the U.S. will have heard a song or two from these guys. Nine Black Alps are from Manchester, UK and have earned the nickname of the Nirvana of Europe. I do and don't agree with that comparison. You can tell that they draw from Nirvana's style but NBA has a distinct sound of their own.

1. Get Your Guns- This one rocks out from the start. I really like the verses of this one, more so than the chorus which is rather plain. Nice opener. 7.5/10

2. Cosmopolitan- This one starts with an Interpol-ish sound and then transforms into a rocking out song. The lyrics are very interesting, "You're not pretty enough, you're not skinny enough, you're not healthy enough, you're not shaking at our touch." This is referring to the mass media and how they make everyone feel inadequate about themselves. A solid song. 8/10.

3. Not Everyone- One of my favorites. This one reminds me of a Sonic Youth song which is definitely a plus. This song really comes together and builds up to the awesome chorus. 9/10

4. Unsatisfied- Hands down my favorite song on the album. The opening guitar sends chills down my spine everytime I hear it. I can't say enough about this song. To me, this one stands out above the others on the track. As lead singer Sam Forrest sings, "Ten out of ten for a race already run.." Yea... this one is definitely 10/10.

5. Headlights- Good song. I never skip it when I listen but then again, I'm never really excited when it comes on either. 7/10

6. Behind Your Eyes- A really pretty acoustic song which is a nice way to change up the album. "If that's the way you feel, there's no easy way out." I really like this one. 8.5/10

7. Ironside- Definitely my second favorite track. The guitar is incredible in this one and the singer conveys how he just wants to be left alone after a relationship falls apart. 9.5/10

8. Shot Down- I've found out that this is a fan favorite. An older sounding song which I like quite a bit. 8/10

9. Just Friends- The lead singer Forrest singing about how he is always too late and never around to start a relationship with this girl. Short and Sweet. 8/10

10. Everybody Is- Pretty good. Somewhat of an angry song. Nothing spectacular, but again, I definitely don't skip it. 7.5/10

11. Intermission- The other acoustic song of the album. Not quites as good as Behind Your Eyes, but still a song that you want to hear. 8/10

12. Southern Cross- The closer for the album is a very good one. I like the singer's voice in this one as he changes keys a few times. Nice way to finish out a great debut. 8.5/10

These guys are not known now, but they will be. Just as UK bands such as Franz Ferdinand, Coldplay, Bloc Party, and Keane have swept through America, Nine Black Alps will soon be more than a band known only in Europe.

Overall, Everything Is = 8.3/10

At the recent Glastonbury festival in the English countryside, Nine Black Alps managed to pull a massive crowd to their early afternoon slot on the first day of the musical extravaganza. Their large audience had more to do with them playing in a covered tent while the rest of the Glastonbury site succumbed to rain and mud slides rather than an established following of supporters, but their 2000s take on Seattle grunge won over plenty of filthy festival-goers by the time they left the John Peel Stage.

Nine Black Alps' debut album Everything Is starts off decidedly similar to the greasy rock of their Glastonbury set, however takes a turn at the halfway mark into an unexpected musical landscape. On opening missive Get Your Guns vocalist Sam Forrest wins points for the line `Too dumb to keep your clothes on' before spoiling it by pilfering lyrics from Radiohead's My Iron Lung moments later. In a sly case of stealing from the thieves, source material for both Nine Black Alps' Get Your Guns and Radiohead's My Iron Lung can be sourced back to Nirvana's In Utero. Whereas Radiohead only ripped off Heart Shaped Box for the bridge to their Bends single, Manchester's Nine Black Alps remain less specific in their filching, wholeheartedly devouring Nirvana's screams, guitar squalls and heavy drum beats on the opening share of Everything Is. Although some may see it as sacrilege, less haughty consumers will find Nine Black Alps far too proficient to be mere pretenders to the grunge throne.

While Cosmopolitan and Iron Side showcase the rougher riffs, tracks such as Unsatisfied, Behind Your Eyes and Intermission present a far mellower take on the quartet's sound, closer to Ireland's Ash than Kurt Cobain's crew. Many of the tunes here are catchy and smart, but a minor problem lies in the sheer diversity of the dozen songs on Everything Is.

They may have sated the wet and grubby crowd at Glastonbury, but will the real Nine Black Alps please stand up?