The Urges are five men from Dublin, their individual identities are not important, but what is is the sound that those five men create collectively. Having been a mainstay on the Irish scene for sometime, The Urges have absorbed and incorporated their influences and arrived at a sound that is distinctly their own.
Debut album Psych Ward was released in October 2007 on Screaming Apple, Off the Hip and Stomping Ground record labels to positive reviews worldwide. In 2008, The Urges signed to Steven Van Zandt’s label Wicked Cool records and re-released Psych Ward in the September. In April 2012, singled ‘Fire Burning’ was released and then a lengthy absence ensued before ‘Passing Us By’ was released in April 2015. Released on 28th October 2016 on Mersol Music, Time Will Pass, will be their second LP.
Opening with ‘Passing Us By’, the single which was released in April 2015, you immediately get a feel for who The Urges are. Heavily influenced by bands such as The Coral, this track makes fantastic use of the organ sound courtesy of Thomas D’Arcy, which has become synonymous with psychedelia, whilst the trumpet adds a playful edge. For those keen of hearing, subtle differences between the single and album version exist, see if you notice them for yourself. ‘Echoes Softly’ builds on its predecessor but has a busier sound, not that this is a bad thing, on the contrary.
‘I’ve Been Here Before’ channels 60s psychedelia’s finest elements unashamedly, the vocals of Jim Walters creating a melodic swoon and the tripping guitar riff completes the track. ‘A Face Made For Sorrow’ has a racy tempo which propels the track forward, a throbbing drum beat courtesy of Ken Mooney setting the pace. ‘In The End’ features sitar interludes and a different feel overall to its predecessors, whilst still offering a fast tempo it comes as a pleasant reprieve from the intensity of the opening tracks.
‘We Will Find Another Way’ has an almost spaghetti western soundtrack feel about it; a marching drum beat, a heavy organ ditty and heavy lyrical content mix in perfect harmony here and the result is something that The Doors wouldn’t be ashamed of producing. The fairground inspired ending adds an intriguing element and rolls straight into ‘Now I See’, a lengthier track with a stunning vocal bridge. ‘Strangers’ bursts to life with a repetitive guitar riff from Peter Smith which immediately captures. The Urges use their bass lines subtly, which is a shame because there is some real beauty in the work of Ross McGee. We are also granted a violin insert here and its addition adds a pleasing gleam at its conclusion.
‘Meanwhile’ is very similar in its style and content to ‘In The End’, but minus the sitar. A Beatles’ esque sound is prevalent and this track showcases a different side to The Urges. Title track ‘Time Will Pass’ concludes the album in fine style and in its own way marks the beginning of this new chapter that the creation of this album has created for The Urges.
They had a real job on their hands following up from Psych Ward, especially after a six year margin. However, Time Will Pass is a perfect testament to who this band were, are and will be.
The limited edition release on 45RPM vinyl and CD is available for pre-order now; http://mersolmusic.bigcartel.com/news
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