If you asked me to find you a band that sounds mystically enchanting and magically inclined, I’d bring you
right to Bombay Bicycle Club. I had the divine pleasure of seeing these talented young lads at Terminal 5 in Manhattan back in October. Bombay Bicycle Club is a unique band because they do not associate with just one particular genre: they play around with some folk, electronica, worldly music, and indie-rock. The London based band has just finished their US tour, promoting their most recent released album “So Long, See You Tomorrow.” The band consists of four main members: Jack Steadman (lead vocalist, guitar, piano), Jamie MacColl (guitar), Suren de Saram (drums) and Ed Nash (bass).
In their most recent released album “So Long, See You Tomorrow,” Bombay Bicycle Club really took a step up from their last album, improving on sounds and paying close attention to adding fundamental gratifications of melody and rhythm rather than a dull atmospheric vibe. Each and every song on this album is catchy, being distinctive and delicately pleasing to the ear in its own unique way. Jack Steadman’s voice has never sounded so crisp and clear; a musical diction that is quite admirable. His stealthy, slowly creeping, soothing voice makes this album so stunningly subtle and breathtaking.
I remember when I first discovered Bombay Bicycle Club. It was junior year of high school (let’s not talk about those days) and I was sitting on my bed in my room, scrolling down the suggested music on the side bar on Youtube, and I saw a song titled “Shuffle.” I don’t know what specifically it was that prompted my attention towards it, maybe it was the cool picture featured on the music video, but some higher power from above moved my hand over the mouse to click over it, and boom- my world was shaken by this beautiful binding group of young British lads. I have this thing where when I instantly like a song when it first plays within the first few seconds, I know it’s got to be a good one. And that is exactly what happened; I was so drawn into the song just within the first few seconds of it playing. From there I was hopping around from song to song, feeding my iTunes with some new downloaded music. I was excited because I felt like I have found a new favorite band that I was going to have on replay for the next few weeks, and then those weeks turned into months, and those months turned into years. I still to this day listen to Bombay Bicycle Club just as much as I always have since when I first discovered them. Saying that I love this band is a bit of an understatement.
When you find an artist or a band that you admire so deeply and would kill to see them live, and then you actually do see them live- to me, there is absolutely, positively, no better feeling. It is this feeling of utter happiness, pleasure and an uncontrollable release of endorphins, and no I am not talking about being on Molly- one does not need a drug to experience such a high and powerful sensation. I am talking about being in the crowd and taking in everything around you, listening to every melody, every beat and every word, and just being in that moment. When I went to see Bombay Bicycle Club live, I couldn’t help but move my body to the intricate psychedelic beats and sounds that the band was performing live. Terminal 5 has multiple floors that look down onto the main floor where the mainstage is, so if you go up to one of the floors above and look over the balcony, what you’ll see is this amazing wave of people that are moving together like an ocean, vibing out to each and every sound. I was incredibly exuberant to have experienced such an event.
Overall, Bombay Bicycle Club is one of the most unique bands that hold so much creative ability and talent. If you know me then you know that I am not a fan of mainstream music and forbid to listen to the radio unless there is an aux cord and my iPhone on hand. With that being said, you can trust my opinion and trust that Bombay Bicycle Club is an incredible band and that you will (or I at least hope you will) fall in love with them in the way that I did. They are entirely different and just so remarkably distinctive.
Alexa Carmona