National Service is an alt-rock quartet from North London comprising Fintan Campbell (lead vocals, rhythm guitars), Daniel Hipkin (bass, keyboards, vocals), Iain Kelly (lead guitars, vocals) and Matthew Alston (drums). Backed and promoted by Fierce Panda Records, Caving is the eighth release by the band, following their “Meltwater” EP from October last year. Their music carries descriptions like “emotional wisdom” punctuated with “tones of the modern city”; hypnotic, warm, and honest; listening to their past releases, it’s hard to disagree with those pundits!
Caving launches straight into a moody, atmospheric, layered piece about never being able to say no. Regardless of the commitments already made, one can’t let the team down by declining another favour. Just one more push … Caving is less about visiting underground rock-art caches and more about what happens when it all becomes too much.
The punch-pop and breathy almost-Bono–cum-Jarvis Cocker/Damon Albarn/Mark Foster/Glenn Richards/Dave Hosking-vocals over a wall of guitars and a solid rhythm base will help deliver this to more radio, streaming services, and, eventually, more and more ears. With positive feedback from the likes of Steve Lamacq (BBC 6), Alex Baker (Kerrang!), and Dan Alani (Reprezent), this band will be better known sooner than they think! Explore the back catalog on their label-page and get behind National Service!