Letters - New Waves

There’s something stirring about the cello. Listen to and witness its use by bands such as Arcade Fire, Smashing Pumpkins and even heavy rockers System of a Down to see how its employ can evoke untapped emotions of sadness, strength and ambition. Now add to this list a new band from Edinburgh who very much make the most of the four string bowed beast. They’re called Letters. Whilst Breaking More Waves doesn't often dip its foot into classic rock structures Letters have just enough of a difference to make us want to do so.

Letters do big music. Not in the sense of the numbers in their group – of which there are five – but the way that their sound is expansive, rocket fuelled and aiming higher and higher. Their debut single The Grand National released last month is musically like its title – an exciting heart pounding race of explosive jumps that storms to a glorious finish and the flipside Pipe Dreams, is muscular enough to whack the bell on a fairground high striker all the way to the top.

It’s very early days for the band having only formed in the winter of 2010, but based on these two fairly intensive and impressive songs, (you can download both legally and for free below) there’s a good chance that Letters could be worth keeping an ear and eye out for. If you want to check them out live Letters are playing gigs in Scotland this month and hope to expand into shows throughout the UK in spring time, with a new EP to follow in April.

LETTERS- GRAND NATIONAL

LETTERS- PIPE DREAMS