The Boxer Rebellion - Union [2009]

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Buy The Boxer Rebellion on iTunes.

Currently (and rightly) outselling Kings of Leon on iTunes following its iTunes-only pre-release, Union is the second full-length from the Wanstead-based (but with an American and an Aussie) band (don’t expect to see them in the charts, however - they’re banned for ‘only’ releasing a digital version).

Following 2005’s great debut, Exits, was always going to be a significant test for any band, but The Boxer Rebellion, along with other bands like Kilto Take or The Late Greats, prove that bands like The Editors and Bloc Party were just a starter for new British bands, and that the disappointment felt when getting down and listening to the first wave of the new wave may only be short-lived.

In Union, the band’s sound has evolved towards Feeder-like anthems (no surprise that Chris Sheldon also mixes Feeder and the Foo Fighters), Verve-like dynamics and some genuinely great songs.

They also show the kind of opportunity bands have these days to break through - well priced album, free singles, the kind of buzz that comes from working the live stages, and a bunch of evangelical fans, all built on some properly exciting music.

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