The Crosshairs’s path to the release of their single ‘Long Way Home’ follows a familiar trajectory. Prolific gigging in their home city Cardiff leads them to the release of a single that’s confidently upfront.
They sound like a band incubated by live music. The band’s second single, ‘Long Way Home’, possesses that noisiness that sounds intrinsically live, rougher than the average pristinely produced indie rock single.
‘Long Way Home’ is somewhat of an anachronism. This is the type of single that hyped up the crowds at Reading and Leeds Festivals in the late noughties. The Libertines et al. Energy abounds. Riffs swagger and splutter from guitars like bullets, it’s everything that era obsessed over.
There’s still an audience for it of course. The Courteeners remain popular, as does Sam Fender. But standing out in this market is challenging. The Crosshairs are hardly the newest sounding band around but there are positive signs within ‘Long Way Home.’
There’s an easy-going breeziness to vocalist Joe Grffiths, the nascent frontman’s vocals are aloof during a laid-back chorus. It’s a catchy one too, The Crosshairs do possess songwriting nous.
There’s also some proficient guitar work towards the song’s conclusion, that’s far gutsier than much of what the indie landscape offers. Cardiff’s fertile music scene has produced some capable musicians here.
For a band that sounds ready-made for festival life, timing could work to the band’s advantage too. They’ve got the time between now and next summer to craft more songs like this, ones that will spring to life when a bucket hat or two are donned. Use that time wisely and the festival appearances will follow.
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