8/10

The death of rising indie group Viola Beach was one of the most tragic stories of last year. While on tour in Sweden, the entire band along with their manager were killed when the car they were in drove off a bridge. Since then, the friends and families of the members have been supporting a release of their work and now we finally get to hear all that they achieved in one self-titled nine-track album.

Prior to this release, the band had only shared three finished singles, and from those alone, you could tell that this lot had mountains of potential. But once you hear this new release, it suddenly becomes clear that Viola Beach could have become the next big name in British music. Bringing back that playful side to the indie genre, they had this carefree approach to their sound, making them not only a warm listen but something you could have gone nuts to at their gigs.

While this will be the only material we get to hear from Viola Beach, it is certainly one incredible legacy. Consistent and engaging throughout, this collection of recordings paints the picture of a truly talented group taken from us far too soon.