Riff-strong rock and roll with a clear Americana twist of authenticity – Supertanker kick off their new album Broiler with a sublime and anthemic title-track, and proceed to connect with equal parts skill and substance throughout.
Fast-paced vocal unity and a slightly prog-rock melody back up distortion and the sheer crash of live drums, for this high-octane opening track. The riff is simple and instantly likable, recognisable after a single listen, and the passion of the performance introduces Supertanker in a way that quickly nudges you to crank up the volume a few levels.
While the subject and stories of Broiler initially come second to the overall immersive appeal of this finely-crafted rock sound, there’s depth and heartfelt contemplation to all of the writing, and as you venture further into the ten-track collection, this quality reaches out with clear and soulful conviction.
Internet Declaration of Love follows with topical relevance and an unexpectedly joyful vocal adlib at the forefront. We’re in a brighter pop-rock realm now, nostalgia still defiant but from a new angle, and once again the band set the mood accordingly – reminding you that a live show is likely to bring these songs to life in a whole new way.
Retro simplicity briefly introduces Not Happy Enough For Both Of Us, an almost indie-punk aura that allows the frontman’s voice to pierce through in a fresh way. The listener is directly addressed, or rather, this personal outpouring to a significant other feels relevant to the self, thus prevailing as a strong contender for feeling like yours and yours alone.
Supertanker continue to impress with versatility, and yet at the same time, the central emotion, tone and presentation of their performances increasingly proves unmistakable. It’s a subtle trait, but effective – far from fake or forced, just a band writing great songs, and maintaining their integrity and truth along the way. What’s not to love?
Hopeful softness interjects the rising energy for a warm and thoughtful Above The Clouds – a minimalist audio hug designed to calm and inspire, and perhaps one of the album’s most easily memorable songs.
We then shift back to that rock and roll power and presence, for E=MC5 – another outright anthem of uplift and unity, before Supertanker recapture your lyrical intrigue, with the uniquely story-telling, cinematic and boldly memorable Thomas Don’t Like Marvin, Marvin Don’t Like Thomas.
The Western rock grit remains for a higher-pitched What Do You Know, while Chester Burnett proceeding to warm up the instrumental journey by way of organic colours and a long-form melody that quickly takes you back to a simpler time. As ever, the stories intrigue – something likely to keep listeners returning again and again; the embrace of the music and the characters of the writing working perfectly well together.
Heavier guitar fuzz sets the mood alongside softer melodic tones and a mellow rhythm, for the nineties-esque pop-rock No One To Tell You No. Here we get a twist of Folk to the verse melody and leading delivery, and also, not for the first time, a subtle hint of Alanis and the great crossover songwriters of the that era. For all of these reasons, this is a personal favourite, and a great musical route towards a poetically enchanting closing track.
Waves of rise-and-fall melody and deeply relatable observations and reflections make up the powerful and provocative Not Alone. A conceptual arena begs for you to tune in closely and walk these streets of thought with the band. Another favourite, a definite highlight, evocative and poignant, heartbreaking – a fine way to wrap up what is genuinely one of the most interesting and engaging rock projects of 2023. I look forward to catching Supertanker on tour in the near future.
Find Supertanker on Facebook or their Website.
