Description
Catfish And The Bottlemen – The Ride – 180 Gram Vinyl Record
Catfish and the Bottlemen’s The Ride, released on May 27, 2016, is the second studio album by the Welsh indie rock band and a bold, hook-heavy follow-up to their 2014 debut The Balcony. Produced by Dave Sardy (known for his work with Oasis, Jet, and LCD Soundsystem), The Ride amplifies the band’s sound into more polished, anthemic territory—tight, guitar-driven rock with a focus on big choruses, emotional urgency, and raw, romantic frustration. It’s an album that doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel but instead doubles down on immediacy and accessibility, designed for massive singalongs and festival stages.
The Ride builds on the energetic, Britpop-inflected indie rock formula Catfish introduced on their debut, but with more sheen, more punch, and more ambition. Songs are built around Van McCann’s earnest, everyman lyrics, Johnny Bond’s punchy guitar work, and relentless rhythmic propulsion from Benji Blakeway and Bob Hall. The band channels influences from classic British rock (Oasis, The Kooks, The Cribs) while keeping a foot in early 2000s garage revival energy.
The album’s production by Sardy is clean and arena-ready, sometimes drawing criticism for being too polished, but undeniably built for scale. Guitars are crisp, drums are tight, and vocals are pushed front and center, giving McCann’s storytelling an emotional clarity that resonates even in the most straightforward lyricism.
Key Tracks
“7” is the album’s emotional high point and perhaps the most iconic track. A yearning anthem about the difficulty of balancing relationships with life on the road, it features one of the band’s most memorable hooks: “I don’t think through things, I never get time / ‘Cause I don’t think things through.” It perfectly blends vulnerability with explosive energy.
“Soundcheck,” the lead single, is a masterclass in buildup and release. Starting with a moody, restrained verse, it builds into a massive chorus with crashing drums and a soaring vocal. It’s a song about miscommunication and lost connection, and its emotional arc makes it a fan favorite.
“Twice” delivers a relentless groove and sharp, radio-ready hooks. It encapsulates the band’s gift for turning relationship discontent into euphoric rock.
“Outside” closes the album with a slow burn that erupts into a final cathartic climax. It’s a layered, emotionally resonant ending to a record that otherwise thrives on urgency.
Other songs like “Postpone,” “Red,” and “Anything” keep the momentum going with tightly wound riffs and tales of frustration, longing, and messy romance—all recurring themes in McCann’s songwriting. Lyrically, he leans on directness rather than metaphor, a style that appeals to younger audiences and fans of emotionally open rock music.
Critics were somewhat divided on The Ride. Many praised its tight performances, emotional honesty, and festival-ready sound, while others felt the band played it too safe—choosing to refine rather than evolve. Still, it struck a chord with fans. The album debuted at #1 on the UK Albums Chart, proving the band’s growing momentum and solidifying their status as a leading act in Britain’s indie rock revival.
In terms of longevity, The Ride succeeded by knowing exactly what it wanted to be: direct, youthful, anthemic rock for real-life drama and adrenaline-fueled nights. It doesn’t aim to innovate so much as connect, and in that, it succeeds with conviction.
The Ride is an album made for late nights, road trips, and big stages. While it may not break new sonic ground, it offers a cohesive and emotionally immediate listening experience, capturing the messiness of young relationships and the desire for something more. It’s polished without losing urgency, raw without sounding amateurish—a snapshot of a band sharpening their tools, playing bigger rooms, and writing songs to fill them.
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic
Track Listing
7
Twice
Soundcheck
Postpone
Anything
Glasgow
Oxygen
Emily
Red
Heathrow
Outside
