The All New Adventures of Us - St Crispin’s Got Our Backs

is the third offering from Northampton-based seven-piece, The All New Adventures Of Us (or TANAOU, to those who move in their circles) and once again proves that they are at the top of their game. ‘St Crispin’s’ is an ode to St Crispin, the Patron Saint of shoemakers and is also a subtle nod to St Crispin’s Hospital, a mental asylum set up in Northampton in the 1800s which has lain derelict since 1995.

True to form, the band provides 3 minutes of outstanding epic-ness. Jaime and Kate’s vocals intertwine comfortably together and throughout, there is a nice balance between epic and calm which is intricate, yet beautifully simple and gives you a chance to re-gather your senses before being plunged head first into another wall of sound. The lyrics are intriguing, yet seemingly effortless – Jaime (vocals, guitar) truly is a modern day storyteller, comparing to the likes of Elliot Smith, Ben Gibbard and Jackson Browne (‘Why do they call it a front, when it only serves to push us back?’). Often the complexity of the instrumentation takes away from the meaning of the song, and it takes a good few listens to truly decipher everything that is going on, both lyrically and instrumentally, although this could be viewed by some as a positive thing. TANAOU are very assured in their style, and it is truly refreshing to hear a band that are very much doing their own thing.