Despite a brooding and understated beginning, Able Archer’s new single The Warden grows sonically and starts to take root.
The Irish quintet formed in 2011 but didn’t start to get wider attention until the release of their critically acclaimed debut EP, Bullets, in 2013. The Warden is the latest single taken from their second EP, The Trouble With Strangers, which was released last year.
On first listen it’s hard to get away from a comparison my brain has made instantly between Emmet McCaughey’s voice and Nik Kershaw’s. This is reinforced by the shimmering keys that add an 80’s sparkle to the track and complement the insistent bass and rippling guitar. When the soaring brass section arrives at the chorus like a wave of emotion I’m already contemplating playing this track again.
From a subtle start, this is a single that Able Archer have nurtured – through cleverly layered instruments and a catchy chorus – into an earworm.
This article was written for Backseat Mafia