When you’re aged 16 or 17 and you’ve picked up your first instrument and are trying to get the best sound out of it, it can be a challenging affair. Then of course when you’re in a band which consists of a variety of personalities, that’s when it gets a little tougher. Because the challenge then turns to creating your own sound and identity. At a young age, such as The People are, it becomes a voyage of discovery and one they are obviously enjoying to the max.
I’ve watched these young lads enough times on the local live circuit to know that they have what it takes and while they are still very much in the infancy of their career as musicians, it is important they steadily continue to hone their creative skills in the process. And I think they are doing that with aplomb. Each member contributes various elements to their sound very well indeed and they are developing at a rapid pace. When it comes to confidence and showmanship, this is where these guys excel and that is certainly mirrored in their self-titled debut EP.
The EP is a lively affair and kick starting it with an instrumental, simply named Intro, is a rather brave step, but works well. Intro is a taster of what’s to come and displays an abundance of energy all wrapped up into a couple of thundering minutes. Almost anthemic, with heavy drum beats and swathing guitar riffs – it’s a good start and well delivered. The following track, Sweet Nothing, in contrast to the opener, presents us with a more commercial sounding side of the band, with a driving chorus and backed by good harmonies. It’s a catchy tune and one you may find yourself singing along to. It’s perhaps easy to find some comparisons to other songs with this one, but all the same it is a tune that could quite easily get some airing further afield. The band have chosen this particular song to accompany a video (below), shot and produced by the colourful Jester Watson. Shot at The Layton in Blackpool, the production and edit is first class. I really liked the concept of the band lining up like a retro sixties Motown quartet for the video, dressed in smart attire, especially given the fact they are basically rock dudes. Then, midway, they somehow lose their clothes, at which point I think it kind of takes something away from the original idea. But they are young lads who enjoy a laugh and look like they had plenty of fun shooting it. It will certainly appeal to many, even though slightly controversial and tongue in cheek.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjFHcJQNLVQ
Track three, Shock, starts out with a familiar sound to Big Country, then the verses kick in and the northern accent of lead vocalist Alex Brown shines through and the song quickly has that stamp of the band. Opening with the question, ‘Do you like boys in bands, you look like a girl who does. If that’s the case, come and have a drink with us’, it throws down the gauntlet early doors – so I’ll personally raise a glass to that! I wouldn’t say it’s the most imaginative track on the EP by any means, musically or lyrically, but it’s another tune that gets the feet stomping and manages to raise a wry smile.
The penultimate track, Lose Your Head, offers something a little different again and I really like this tune. A funky opening beat accompanied by hand claps and a lovely deep bass line, really sets the tone for the remainder of the song. When the opening verse strikes up it is married with a great wah wah guitar sound which continues throughout. This song shows another side to the band’s persona and adds another musical string to their bow. Finishing off with LTG, The People end the EP where they started, with plenty of zest and energy. “Roll on, roll on the thunder,” they exclaim. And roll on they certainly will, with plenty of live bookings, both in the local area and beyond, including a recent date in London. This is a song they have been playing live for a while now and it’s instantly recognisable as one of their own and again has a big chorus which is ready made for live performances.
The EP has been recorded and produced well and for a debut EP it is a very fine effort indeed. There is nothing really ground breaking to offer as such, but it’s fresh and ambitious and, for a young band, it displays an excellent level of musicianship which certainly bodes well for their future work. It has an abundance of energy, some catchy lyrics and plenty of promise. The People can be rightly proud of their debut release and if they strive to work hard on discovering their own unique signature sound the next EP and any consequent releases will be ones to certainly get excited about.
As debuts go, this is a corker.
All recording session and video shoot images courtesy of Alan Birkett at Siwa Photography.
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