Words by: Rhys Hurd
Photos by: John McGowan
Album artwork by: Dan & Lisa Hughes
There are very few bands in Devon who have been around for as long, and have performed and released as consistently, as the Pylon Poets. While their debut album (under the name “The Stone Angels”) is no longer available on streaming platforms, I recall a 15-year-old Rhys picking up this album after seeing them perform at the local Brixham Festival, “Brixfest,” for the first time. In a sea of cover bands and acoustic performances, seeing a rock band performing original music from Torbay was the coolest thing! Long story short, I know the band’s music rather well, so I couldn’t wait to hear where the band was going with their new Album “Demise of the Divine”.
As a whole, this album is the most concise and polished offering from the band. The album is a combination of 2000s alt rock with big and spacey 80s synth pop — think Muse crossed with Tears for Fears. Compared to some of their earlier attempts (again, also not on Spotify anymore), they’ve become much more fluid in combining synths and sampled drums into their existing sound. The band’s experience comes through in the sheer efficiency in their songwriting; songs like In the End and The Human Touch are straight-to-the-point songs that don’t waste a second of their run time. This album is full of radio-ready bangers. Temptation and Echoes of Desires are both songs that have the catchiness to make it on the radio but also have the groove that would translate well live.
The two tracks that stand out to me on the album have to be Savour and Supernova; these songs are the creative high points on the album. The guitars get some time to shine on Savour, with great riffs that have more hair on them. Then, Savour takes a turn with a marching band groove, and brass comes in to create a massive-sounding bridge. Supernova has got to be my favourite. The Poets have wanted to create these beautiful, otherworldly atmospheres in their songs before, but none achieve it so perfectly as it is done here.
I think the Pylon Poets have an album they can be proud of here. Demise of the Divine is a tight, polished offering that has a healthy mix of the familiar Poet’s sound, with new ground being broken. This album is not a reinvention of the band, but a further refinement of a sound they have been perfecting for the last few years. If you have just discovered this amazing band, this album is a great place to start. Stick it in your car or headphones, and you’ll be grooving and singing along all summer long.
Stream Demise of the Divine on all streaming platforms now!