There was an advert I saw on Instagram for this album. “The wait is almost over,” it said, and that’s reflected when it starts.
There’s minimal fuss. As if they can’t wait to get started. And when they do, when it comes to DELLA NOVA, it’s all about the groove.
Well, nearly. It’s all about the groove and singer Alex Bowmer. Recorded in lockdown in a converted church/warehouse where he lived, Bowmer possesses a superb voice. Think Matt Bellamy fronting Royal Blood, and you’re not too far away.
With cousin Karl on drums (he’s no longer in the band), Bowmer set about creating his vision—and drawing from life experiences that include working for a witch ensures it’s a varied mix.
“Do You,” for example, has more time changes than the Wildhearts at their best; “Stand Up” has more energy than a three-year-old after an afternoon nap; and make no mistake about it, they can deliver a set of catchy hooks as well as anyone. “Gimmie Love” underlines that very nicely indeed.
It’s just that DELLA NOVA (caps are deliberate—it’s how they wanted it) have something else. Something imperceptible, maybe, but there’s an arty side to them.
There are a trio of instrumental interludes here, as if to signpost that, one of which, “Erica,” is a drum solo, perhaps mirroring the structure of a live show.
The remaining eight songs on *Della Nova* (again, standard caps are deliberate) are never less than compelling. The ballad, “On The Blue,” has the vibe of Feeder at their most tender, which contrasts superbly with the thunderous and ambitious “Rise With The Wind.” A seven-minute epic, it hints at way more to come over the course of this journey with these three.
Everything here sounds cinematic—perhaps apt that it found its way into the orbit of Ben Jeffes, who works on film sound. He and Bowmer crafted the finished project. Certainly, “Astral” flies in a very wide-screen way.
“Welcome Home”—if we may torture the metaphor still further—sees the credits roll as it floats off into the ether in a fairly unsettling way—but somehow it’s totally in keeping with what you’d expect from DELLA NOVA, or for that matter, the *Della Nova* album.
Debut albums aren’t normally like this. There’s something special waiting to be unleashed here. A project that has clearly been a labour of love thus far is now waiting to be loved—and that it doesn’t sound quite like anything else, yet remains entirely accessible, is very much the point.
Rating: 8.5/10
