REVIEW: AT THE SUN – LEAVE BEFORE THE LIGHT (2019)

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It was, to be fair, a weird gig all round.

It had been moved the week before when the previous venue was condemned. They new one had no sign and appeared to be at the back of a snooker club. I know this because I interrupted a match between two local teams to ask “’scuse me mate, you know where the gig is please?”

The room seemed more akin to the sort of place where the WI would meet, and when the gig did start, there was a tiny little stage in the corner. That though, is when things got really strange.

At The Sun were playing their first song, when they decided to let a smoke machine off. No one had told guitarist Chet Jogia – or me to be fair, and it is a toss up for which one of us was more scared.

What wasn’t in question, that night, though, was that At The Sun had better get used to the pyrotechnics, because there is a quality about them. And six months or so later, the release of their debut record has done nothing really to alter that opinion.

Lets not pretend, either, before we go further, that there is anything particularly original here. The first words on the “Leave Before The Light” are: “hey girl, see I got these feelings for ya, but I think you are a devil with an angel’s aura” over a riff that basically casts ATS as some kind of UK based Black Stone Cherry.

But you know what? BSC fill arenas with this stuff, and not everything has to be at the zeitgeist and achingly hip.

“Preacher” likewise is bluesy but groovy and just sounds happy to be out of the house and “Breathe” knows how to whip up a storm and is more than pleased to do just that.

There is something proper sleazy about At The Sun too, “Walk On Over” contains the magnificent line: “I want you for my own, you ain’t one for the masses. I feel you shaking on my body and it’s so fantastic”. But the absolutely glorious thing about this is that it genuinely sounds like Harry Dale on vocals, can’t believe his luck.

The rest of it chugs along in similar fashion. “Lay It On Me” is a little bit southern rock, while “Lifetime” is likewise but wraps itself around a humongous hook.

“Devil In Your Eyes” manages to sound pretty much exactly like a song called “Devil In Your Eyes” was always going to sound, but goodness, you can’t resist its charms, and “Bite Your Tongue” is one of many on this record that starts off with a filthy riff and builds from there.

At The Sun, sound like they want to build something for the future, none of this here today gone tomorrow with thousands of Instagram likes stuff. Rather they’ve got big old ballads like “Indestructible”, which has ambitions. That much is certain.

“Renegade” has a rare catchiness, and you can bet the “oh yeah” hook is going to sound ace at festivals this summer. “Soak It Up” gets massive MV bonus points for starting with a guitar solo (come on what’s better?) and also sounding like all the spandex rockers of my youth.

It is the closing “Raise Your Glass” that perhaps best sums it all up, however. The chorus: “raise your glass into the sky, because it can’t get any worse than this. I’m taking a chance on feeling alright.”

Think about that. Then think about why you need good time rock n roll.

At The Sun know they want to have fun. And “Leave Before The Light” is the work of a band who are but one big break away from doing something special.

Rating 8.5/10

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