If The Maccabees' 2007 debut ‘Colour It In' hadn't already confirmed the Brighton/South London band as a class apart, then second album ‘Wall Of Arms' - out May 4th on Fiction Records - should establish it beyond reasonable doubt. To those in the know, the five-piece are a truly special band, a British Arcade Fire or a melodic, song-based Animal Collective. To everyone else? Well, it's just a matter of time...

"I definitely feel like there's more to this group than some people might have thought," says guitarist and co-vocalist Felix White. "That's something we want to prove this time out. There's something unique about The Maccabees and we want to work to make that apparent to more people - that's part of the fun of all this, having a point to prove."

The Maccabees ended 2007 on a high. ‘Colour It In' had won them a growing legion of fans, ensuring their sold-out tour culminated in a celebratory headline show at London's historic Roundhouse. As the UK press reflected on the year, Artrocker named ‘Colour It In' their Album of The Year and NME declared it "The Best alt.pop record of 2007". Meanwhile, their beautiful acoustic lullaby "Toothpaste Kisses" entered the public conscious sound-tracking an enchanting ad for Samsung, and a lip-smacking performance art video for the single.

Rolling into 2008, The Maccabees focused on the future with a five-day week writing schedule while playing a string of the smaller summer festivals (Underage, Beachdown) at the weekends and a headline tour of low-key sweaty venues, giving them the opportunity to road test the new material. Their live shows have always been the stuff of magic - packed out, riotous and inspiring - so it was only natural to continue to perform while writing and developing the songs that would go on to make up ‘Wall of Arms'.

Made "more or less" during the time between when Obama won the US Presidential Election and when he was inaugurated, with producer Marcus Dravs (Bjork, Coldplay, Arcade Fire) in studios in Liverpool, London and Paris, ‘Wall Of Arms' is a brave, confident work. The songs' subject matter hasn't changed, inspired as they are by friends, family and love - but this time round the group have laboured to make a sound that has grown from their exciting, stuttering, art school guitar pop, to embrace horns and keyboards and a good dose of sonic adventure. "I'm proud of the first record," says Orlando of the band's debut, ‘Colour It In', "but we were so young when we made it - we were still working out who we were - and while I love it, I can hear that when I listen to it. I can hear that kind of... (laughs) learningness. This time round we knew a lot more about what we were doing, while keeping the spirit of the first one."

Which means songs like ‘Love You Better' - Orlando: "the best and my favourite song we've ever written". Felix: "A proper unashamed pop song with a big brass thing at the end" - and the album's brilliant title track, brought back from the dead by Orlando ("I didn't like it, then I did"), complete with a Stax brass arrangement played by Beirut's backing band.

"My favourite is ‘Bag Of Bones'," adds guitarist Hugo White, who alongside bassist Rupert Jarvis and new drummer Sam Doyle make up the band. "That's quite an interesting one. It was originally a thirty second instrumental thing that turned into something else after we started recording it in my kitchen - using saltshakers as percussion!" And while chances are you'll most likely be aware of the band's shift into moodier, more expansive sonic territories thanks to ‘No Kind Words' (given away as a free download from the band's website in February) and its clever, completely unique Matthew Horne (Gavin and Stacey's' Gavin) starring video, perhaps best and most impressive of all is the stunning 'Seventeen Hands', which took on a variety of forms before taking the shape that sits at the centrepiece of the record.

‘Seventeen Hands' was written about the love story of Orlando's great grandparents, whose futures were cemented by a lucky gamble on a seventeen hand high Grand National winner named Aesthetic Silver.

It's worth noting that until recently, Aesthetic Silver's horseshoe sat as an inkwell on Orlando's uncles' desk, a symbol of luck from a time gone by. Orlando explains it's no longer there - the ink dried up and ruined it - but it certainly shouldn't concern the singer of this special band. With songs the calibre of ‘Wall Of Arms', and with the band's renewed vigor and cause, The Maccabees won't need any luck second time round. It really is just a matter of time...

‘Wall of Arms' artwork: The special artwork for ‘Wall of Arms' is by the artist Boo Ritson who painted and photographed the band. The collaboration was instigated by Orlando who explains all in a blog on The Guardian Music website here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2009/mar/30/maccabees-boo-ritson-artwork

The Maccabees are Orlando Week (vocals, guitar), Felix White (guitar, vocals), Hugo White (guitar), Rupert Jarvis (bass) and Sam Doyle (drums)