Tugboat Captain Album Review

Tugboat Captain have made the transition from their DIY Bedroom studios to the legendary Abbey Roads Studios to make their debut album, Rut. 

This album was a long time in the making for the band, written well over a year ago this has allowed Tugboat Captain to collaborate with a variety of friends who they knew would add to the essence of the record. There is a recurring theme of stasis and frustration which is eerily prescient in this very strange year, the lyrics draw on the theme and allow the band to grow in their new surroundings.

Straight out the gate, the psychedelic wonderful world of Tugboat Captain explodes out of the opening track ‘Check Ur Health’ leaving us happy, delighted and completely in good health. The confidence that pours out of the easy changing tempo gives this track so much life. 

Then you have ‘If tomorrow is like today’ is presented with deliberately confusing key playing which makes you transfixed in the arrangement of the track.

‘No Plans’ shows the band's ability to bring this 60’s psychedelic rock into the modern music arena, slightly more stripped back texture and more focused and strong lyrics which makes this a firm foundation for the album. 

The evolving within Rut continues to become apparent with ‘C’mon! Haribo’, where you get a cheeky vibe from the record similar to a prime Pulp.

‘Rut …Waking Hour’ at the far ends of the album is a rawer honest track that brings the soft rustic vocals to the front of the show, but even for a track with a slower tempo you can’t help but feel the energy bubbling up, and you are not disappointed as sections of thumping electro sends you into out of space at the end.

When you get to the end of the album and have heard 10 great songs you can only hope the momentum and promise can survive for the curtain closer,  ‘Day to Day’ manages to live up to that expectation and provides the band a last hurrah before the draw the curtain on a very impressive album!