It's been quite a while now since we've heard anything from Newcastle-under-Lyme's finest Alfa 9. This truly is a shame as their epic. sprawling pyschedelic sound was not only unique in this part of the country, but was as refreshing as anything we'd listened to for a long time. Having honed their craft with relentless gigging and UK tours. Alfa 9 were rewarded for their hard-work with support slots for The Coral, Sunshine Underground and The Charlatans to name a few. Their impressive confident debut full-length 'Then We Begin' was recorded in The Charlatans' Big Mushroom studio, and was released on Blow Up Records to some rave reviews in the national press, combining the melody of Echo and The Bunnymen and The Smiths with the far-out stoner rock of Pink Floyd, their debut is unconventional by some standards as it is a meandering, expansive wall of sound, with tracks flowing in and out of one another like a series of rapid-fire dreams. Lashings of vocal harmonies and some breathtaking 70's guitar parts. 'For Your Bones' features layer upon layer upon layer of guitars that wash in and out underpinning a beautiful spaced out rock monster, described by The Sun newspaper as recalling 'The Who at their best'. At times the record exposes the bands niavity and there are some predictable moments as the record draws on its pyschedelic influences but in the wonderous 'Deadman' the Floyd-esque verse parts give way to a startlingly harmonious chorus reminscent of The Byrds. A band that are as powerful, if not more, live as they are on record we can only hope there is a follow up to their incredible debut, and to be able to hear and watch much more of them in years to come.
Then We Begin on Amazon
Or check out the bands' website here:
Alfa 9.co.uk
