A heavily saturated market makes way for another emerging indie-rock band in the form of Bath born brothers William, Ollie and Timothy Walter. Together they form the three-piece known as The Family Rain, whose debut album, ‘Under The Volcano’, landed on the shelves on the 3rd February. The album’s warm, retro feel is a welcome return to classic rock form and it flows with a constant range of upbeat melodies.
Catchy lyrics make ‘Under The Volcano’ memorable from the first listen and there is a strong guitar influence throughout. No doubt it is hard to make yourself known in such a popular market right now but the trio have a confident sound that resonates with their listeners.
Upbeat, powerful, guitar driven songs progress into a gentler, melodic conclusion that suggest they are the ones to watch. They’re up and coming but no less confident in their delivery than more established artists.
There is an obvious sense of continuity and cohesion throughout, with each track flowing nicely into the next; creating a definite theme to the LP. What is even more obvious is their similarity to Kings of Leon both in formation and sound; track 9 ‘Together’ is a particularly strong example of the likeness that has been quickly picked up on by a number of music magazines.
Despite Kings Of Leon suffering from well documented family feuds, these three brothers see it as much more of a help than a hindrance to be working alongside their siblings. They told the BBC that being able to work so closely was ‘unbelievably beneficial’.
Having toured with Miles Kane and The Courteeners, there is no doubt that there is support out there from their ‘big brothers’ in music and with packed out tents at Reading and Leeds festival last year The Family Rain are easily gathering up their own followers along the way.
The brothers have successfully transferred their popular live sets into a well accomplished, hotly anticipated first album. Their approachability and openness towards their fan base is yet another reason why a rise for the trio would not be surprising. However, stepping out into a market already bursting with fresh talent it will take a lot for William, Ollie and Timothy to make a permanent impression on the indie-rock scene but they’re certainly heading in the right direction.