In history, the Boxer Rebellion was a violent movement in China led by the “Boxers United in Righteousness.” The group was rebelling against expansion, evangelism and cosmopolitanism in the face of the country’s financial crisis and recent natural disasters. Jump ahead a little over a century later, and a new Boxer Rebellion enters. This time the Boxers hail from the United Kingdom, are united in making amazing music and the only reason you’d think they’re violent is that they produce killer track after killer track on their new release Union.
Boxer Rebellion is a group that has mastered mixing the best of all British artists into their own unique blend of soaring vocals and epic instrumentals. On the first song, “Red Light Means Go”, the big bass drum echoes some of what made Coldplay‘s “Viva La Vida” so great, while the vocals effortlessly transition from the subtleties of Thom Yorke to the amphitheater filling hugeness of a U2 song without being quite as ostentatious as Bono has a tendency to be. This band sure knows how to open an album and get you hooked.
Each track introduces another element that keeps this band increasingly interesting whether it be a background whisper or a new instrument, each song is entrancingly atmospheric, but focused enough that the songs don’t become a background haze. While their are some songs not quite up to the caliber of the album like “Forces” due to its weak chorus, other songs like “Spitting Fire” remind why this band has the potential to be put on the same pedestal as Arcade Fire.
Just as they introduce themselves with a great opener, Boxer Rebellion is just as skilled at closing an album. If a few songs gave Radiohead vibes, “Silent Movie” is this band’s “Exit Music (For a Film)” as the soaring vocals continue to give goosebumps in all the right moments when layered with the instrumentals.
“Evacuate”
So make a union of your own with beautiful harmonies and check out the just released Union.
Tracklisting:
01. Red Light Means Go
02. Move On
03. Evacuate
04. Soviets
05. Spitting Fire
06. Misplace
07. The Gospel of Goro Adachi
08. These Walls Are Thin
09. Forces
10. Semi-Automatic
11. Silent Movie
Boxer Rebellion: website | myspace
Written by: Bethany
Photo: Tessa Angus
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