Chestfield outfit The Crooks follow their comeback single ‘In The Meantime’ with ‘Wide Awake’. The self-released single comes ahead of their first tour since before the pandemic May. Let’s check it out.
*banner image courtesy of the band and This Feeling.
The acute Nick McCabe licks demonstrate that, this time around, The Crooks are more comfortable with creativity. There’s no rush to launch into the attack anymore. These licks fade into a furore of Ride and Chapterhouse shoegaze, allowing the psychedelic menace in the closing stages to take flight. Allowing the devil to rattle around in his cage for two-thirds makes his release devastating.
With his rock n roll power, Jacko often makes his presence felt from the beginning. His snarling but melodic intensity is a rare find. In 'Wide Awake ', he tempers it down, revealing a more aggressive version of Andy Bell. He stays in this lane, until he bursts into life alongside the blistering shoezgaze.
The vastness and cinematic arrangement is made all the more potent by the three-minute containment. The fleeting nature of all its parts elevates it to something remarkable.