A NEWPORT band dropped their debut album today – and it’s well worth a listen.

Crisis Talks, who have already released their first EP Black, released their first album Heavy the Heart.

The band blends together a range of alternative influences and genres to create a fusion of dark pop sensibilities and gritty guitar-driven soundscapes as demonstrated in the album which includes 10 tracks.

The trio is made up of Newport folks: David Lloyd Chapman (vocals), Mark Wilson Squire (guitar), and James Clements (drums).

They gave lifestyle reporter, Leah Powell, the opportunity to have a listen ahead of the release (which will explain why she’s been dancing more than usual in the office) – here’s what she thought…

When listening to Heavy the Heart I wasn’t fully sure what to expect – often it takes me a while to warm up to new music and, while I enjoy a range of genres, Crisis Talks haven’t pinned their style down to a specific genre.

But I need not have worried – I was impressed with the album which was diverse in its style but consistent with good quality sound showcasing the talent of the members.

The vocals stood out to me with David projecting his voice, carrying long notes, and seamlessly changing pitch throughout songs on the album.

The songs are well written, with lyrics that aren’t overly complicated but are open to interpretation – I feel this album could be relatable to people in different situations and in different ways. There are some explicit lyrics in the track Othello, but the album is clean otherwise.

Along with the lyrics and vocals the talent of Mark on guitar and James on drums is made apparent through the range of styles, the solos in some of the songs, and through how well the music compliments the singing.

Although I loved the entire album for its professionalism and diversity, I’ve narrowed down my top three (although this could change with more listens):

Dancer

Dancer has a heavy (ish) intro which had my instantly nodding my head and tapping my toes along with it. I can imagine a crowd rocking out to the tune performed live on stage, but the lyrics are also meaningful.

Dark Cold War

Dark Cold War is also among my top three tracks from this album – a bit of a thrashing, punky sort of sound which perfectly blends the music with the vocals. There’s a dramatic pause which ties in with the lyrics and I thought this was a nice touch, along with a gentle interlude later in the track.

Stop the Clocks

Stop the Clocks also made my top three, although I enjoyed the entire album. Despite thought provoking lyrics, the sound is still fairly upbeat with some great solos included.

The other tracks include:

  • Monsters which has quite a soothing sound and is very catchy;
  • Undone which has a good beat and vocals – I can imagine having this stuck in my head;
  • Othello which – for lack of a better word – has a “twangy” intro and soothing singing;
  • Ghosts which is somewhat melancholic in sound and isn’t too heavy, nor too soft;
  • My Biggest Fear which has perfectly matched the music with vocals and seems to have a part with an additional singer;
  • Submisson which has different beats working well together with the lyrics open to interpretation;
  • Soundcheck which builds up nicely and ends in quite a reflective way.

Find out more about Crisis Talks at crisistalks.online or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and/or Twitter.