Local Enemy - Take Control: Autopilot or a Wild Ride?

There's been more than just a name change with the Local Enemy boys. The-artist-formerly-known-as-The Plan have stopped clinging their humble beginnings and have come out swinging. It's a good attitude to take, with constant appearances on social media and a big support for other local bands trying to find their way in this difficult world of Flo Rida and Daii Guetta.

But aside from this change in persona, what's the music like? Are Local Enemy still the attitude-laden weekend offenders? Or has the new identity taken away the dirty sheen that made them so appealing?

Their new track, 'Take Control', departs from what we were used with The Plan. Gone is the 'Aye I'll give it a go!' outlook and in comes a fat load of 'sit the fuck down and fucking listen to us.' It works. 

The intro has a whiff of The Who about it - guitars clanging and bass sliding, it stomps in and stares you down. 'Take Control' builds on the riffs thrown out in The Plan days, but are tighter and much more involving. In fact, I'd urge you to take a look at their Soundcloud page (https://soundcloud.com/localenemyuk) to sample the tracks. You can hear such a clear progression; from boxy, thin recordings of old to this latest, polished spectacle - Local Enemy are doing something right.

Drums clatter and stomp, driving the track over the horizon and supporting each part of song with distinction and clarity. Guitar work is taken care of with relentless vigour, with spiralling wha-laden solos aplenty in 'Take Control'. I feel each member of Local Enemy has had their musicianship turned up 2 or 3 notches, because this is a vast improvement over the ways of old. 

'Take Control' also departs from The Plan's strict adherence to the old-skool rock'n'roll formula. At four minutes long, this is a ballad compared to the likes of 'Weekend Rockstar' and 'Ripping and Tearing.' Each part of 'Take Control' is more intricate than anything made in the early days of The Plan. Local Enemy are no longer chasing the end of the song; rather, they are listening, experimenting with what works and fiddling with rough edges until they get it right. Seeing a band improve so rapidly is a rarity that I'm willing to applaud them for. 

Vocal-wise, there's a slight slur to Dan's voice, putting it more in line with the likes of The Libertines and Dirty Pretty Things than the indie-angst of Oasis that we had become accustomed to. Most importantly, the oomph is still present, but this time, it's dancing and swirling instead of hammering your skull to pieces. 

I'd even go as far to say that there's a breath of Merthyr's own Pretty Vicious to 'Take Control' - it's got attitude, sure-footedness, and most importantly, honesty. But what it highlights to me most of all is how badly Local Enemy want it. They want to be playing sold-out shows in Wembley and opening for no-one. 'Take Control' then is not just an improvement over the days of The Plan, it is a turning point for Local Enemy to throw their guitars skyward and aim for the stars. 

Go get 'em, lads. 

What does 'Take Control' sound like? 

Take the old, Arctic Monkeys-meets-Stereophonics-in-a-pub sound of The Plan, and take it to the butchers. Carve it up into manageable pieces, and then stuff it full of thick cuts of rump steak. Tie it all back together with thick lashings of studded punk, and let it sit and ooze with rock'n'roll goodness. 

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