By Richard Derbyshire

Album Review: Live For The Moment by The Sherlocks

“A great people’s album by a great people’s band” says Richard Derbyshire

FORGED in Yorkshire and beyond, there are seven years of graft and hard work rooted in Live For The Moment, the debut album by The Sherlocks.

Here is a band who’ve played the south coast nine times in two years, including three shows at The Joiners and two at Isle of Wight Festival.

These twelve radio-friendly songs were recorded at the world famous Rockfield Studios, Monmouthshire last winter, but they’ve evolved and grown at hundreds of gigs across Britain, just like the young Bolton upon Dearne band of brothers themselves.

Not many other bands have served such a long apprenticeship before signing to a record label. Even fewer have built up such momentum in the north and the south from word of mouth and playing their songs live.

Ominous tune Will You Be There? (produced by Manic Street Preachers producer Dave Eringa) opens with a purpose, while familiar, though nicely overhauled, singles Escapade, Heart of Gold and Last Night get things bouncing.

There’s strong harmonies and string arrangements on songs like Turn The Clock and Candlelight. This is more than you expect from a guitar band’s first album.

Fans from the early shows at places like The Joiners will remember the original version of Motions, a frantic three minute burst which is now transformed into a country rockabilly number. With their long-time producer Gavin Monaghan frontman Kiaran Crook, his brother and drummer Brandon, lead guitarist Josh Davidson and his brother and bassist Andy are already moving beyond traditional indie sounds.

Title track Live For The Moment, with its daring drums, urgent guitars and foreboding lyrics like “You never know what’s coming round the corner, we’ll have to go some time” has resonated fiercely with the band’s devoted followers since it was first released in 2014.

Anthems like Chasing Shadows will draw in new fans while Josh and Andy’s soaring backing vocals on the epic Blue and Candlelight will keep them listening.

The hopeful acquiescence of a relationship ending on Turn The Clock shows that, even at 21, Kiaran could be one of the great songwriters of his generation.

Newest number Nobody Knows, with its confident melodies and guitar riffs, may be pointing to where the band is heading next. At six minutes long it’s ambitious, even risky, but attention to detail means it works.

The evocative chords, Josh’s final guitar solo and Brandon’s precision drumming on Was It Really Worth It?, the only track recorded in Yorkshire, create, with only four chords, a fearless and timeless tune from a fearless and timeless band.

People in the south and all over Britain have shared The Sherlocks’ journey at gigs and on social media for years. Huge September tour venues like the O2 Academies in Sheffield and Manchester and The 1865 in Southampton (21 September) are a long way from their first show at The Sandhill Tavern, Great Houghton, Yorkshire, but as things have stepped up no one’s been left behind. This is a great people’s album from a great people’s band – an album of the year.

The Sherlocks headline The 1865 Southampton on Thursday 21 September. Full national tour dates for Manchester, Southampton, Newcastle, London, Bristol, Nottingham and Sheffield at thesherlocksmusic.co.uk

Live For The Moment - the debut album by The Sherlocks on Infectious Records - is out now on all platforms. More at thesherlocksmusic.co.uk

Live For The Moment by The Sherlocks - track listing

1. Will You Be there?

2. Live For The Moment

3. Escapade

4. Chasing Shadows

5. Blue

6. Nobody Knows

7. Was It Really Worth It?

8. Turn The Clock

9. Last Night

10. Heart Of Gold

11. Motions

12. Candlelight