Album Review: Black Letters ”“ Shapes On The Wall

Black Letters. Photo: Francis Kurien

[easyreview cat1title = “Shapes On The Wall” cat1rating = 3.5 cat1detail =” “]

‘Shapes On The Wall’ album art

Kochi/Bengaluru alt rock band Black Letters sound familiar, yet uncommon. Their debut album, Shapes On The Wall, includes seven moody, catchy tracks fueled by a strong allegiance to rock ”˜n roll. Their fedora-suspenders-bow tie look on stage can easily deceive audiences who don’t know better to believe that they might play some smooth alt rock but then the boys show up, plug in and get loud and heavy. It’s not surprising since Black Letters were originally a metal band when they formed in 2007.

If you thought they sound big on their lead single “You Say,” the rest of the album ”“ with the exception of the quiet closer “Remembrance” ”“ is loud and ready for any open-air gig. Guitarists Sarang Menon and Sharath Narayan [who also handles vocals] add a pop punk touch that recalls American rock band New Found Glory on “Skygazer” and throw one crunching riff over another on “Old Firebox.” There are stories of wanderlust [“Roam”] with indie rock, Franz Ferdinand-inspired guitar chops and the arena rock style of U2 [“Find You”] and the sound is the freshest alt rock this side of the planet. Although it’s just seven tracks, Black Letters make sure each one counts, with a lush guitar tone to make their roaring alt rock ready for road-friendly laidback listening.

When you’re at a gig though, watching this four-piece band is different. Like Shapes On The Wall, there’s enough diversity to keep you hooked. And that’s what some of the best alt rock is about.

Key tracks: “You Say,” “Skygazer,” “Old Firebox.”

Buy Shapes On The Wall here. Stream songs from the album below