EP Review: We Are the West- 'We Are the West II' EP (23/02/2013 – Self Released)

We Are the West are a two person, acoustic based band consisting of John Kibler and Brett Hool who were formed in 2011 and have been trying to create an honest and emotional sound ever since. The Los Angeles based duo have performed in some odd locations, including sheep farms, shipping containers abandoned convents and have made a name for themselves by hosting a concert series in the underground parking garage of an office building in Santa Monica the Saturday night before each full moon. This, the band’s second EP is the second instalment in a collection of recordings and was recorded in a barn in New York last summer. It’s currently available for $3 worth of donation, or more if you feel the music is worthy.

Beauty in simplicity: Artwork

It’s obvious from the very first chord that We Are the West are something very rare in the music industry- they’re unique and truly passionate about what they do. First track ‘The Hammer’ is full of atmospheric echoes, as well as a lovely blend of harmonies and gentle guitaring. The stunning vocals combined with fading voice effects form something very special and intimate, which almost makes the listener feel as if they are listening to the band play live, which is something truly unique to find on modern recordings.

Notably, We Are the West’s compositions feel incredibly personal- almost as if you are gaining exclusive insight into someone’s inner thoughts and feelings. And with the huge excess of modern music that lacks any sort of sentiment, this really is a breath of fresh air. The vocals and melody are simplistic yet innovative and very haunting. These are tracks that’d really be at home on a late night radio station helping its listeners to wind down after a long, hectic day of work.

‘JV Try-outs’ reflects how keen the duo are on using tranquil concepts of sound and space in their work and truly makes the listener wish there were more tracks to the EP, which is of course, a sure sign of a great recording. It’s got a fantastic demure vibe and is impeccably composed. Lyrically, it’s very poetic and serene in terms of atmosphere. But even the instrumental conclusion of the track teases emotion from the listener, particularly due to the charming string section.

As ‘JV Try-outs’ ebbs away into silence, it’s clear how special We Are the West are. Their music is full of heart and character and it seems all the pair of musicians need is more exposure to gain the appreciation they and their work deserve.

5/5

Album Review: The Departed- ‘Steal the Crown’ (19/06/2013- Acuity Records)

Since 2006 this Grimsby born, no nonsense Punk Hardcore five piece The Departed, have been delivering intense music inspired by bands such as The Legacy and American Nightmare. With their savage breakdowns and blends of gang vocals, scream vocals and chants, the band have embarked on 6 full European tours and bucket-loads of UK tours over the past 4 years with the likes of Your Demise.

Their latest record ‘Steal the Crown’, embraces savagely controversial artwork, portraying someone in a hoodie attempting to nab the crown from a dodgy, eerie looking set of three Church-leaders. It’s clear from the off that the quintet keep true to their roots, with ‘Prelude’ introducing the listener to the album by telling a story and building tension- a classic component of Hardcore work. Intriguingly, The Departed still strongly supports the anti-fascist, anti-sexist and anti-racist movement within the Punk Rock scene with their music.

Eerie artwork

‘Faithless’ kicks ‘Steal the Crown’ off at break-neck speed, with rapid tempo changes, screeching vocals, vast breakdowns and dense riffs. The production does what it says on the tin and simply enhances what the boys have created without tarnishing their natural musical flairs. The Departed’s live shows are notoriously rough, and it’s not difficult to see why; switching from cyclic verses to memorable, soaring melodic choruses, the variations in speed in each track keep listeners and the band on their toes. They’re definitely a force to be reckoned with!

Taking aggression and anger, infusing it with catchy hooks and ferocity, the band illustrate a level of energy rarely seen in the industry in ‘Overcome’. They also throw a fresh twist into the mix by combining classic elements of the two genres they embrace- Punk and Hardcore. And it’s not just their distinctive musical work that makes The Departed stand out- they’ve also all retained their uncommon passions in life, from boxing to darts and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

With unrelenting procession and weighty breakdowns aplenty, ‘Tides’ isn’t as tranquil as it sounds. But the chaos of ‘All for Nothing’ utilises enraged vocals, countless power chords and even hints Progressive Rock; an element which continues to ‘Down & Out’. The blend of melodic and scream vocals is done impeccably and really illustrates the abilities of the band, as all members aside the drummer take on vocals along with their signature instrument.

The Departed use a tool often seen in newly released records currently; short songs to keep listeners intrigued and showcase as much of their work as possible within twelve tracks. ‘Taking the Time to Take What’s Mine’ explodes with punch and tons of vim and vigour and the pulsing final breakdown of ‘Memories Lost’ is as intense and severe as you expect from a Hardcore track.

Making use of blazing gang vocals, ‘Fools Will Follow’ goes by quicker than gossip in the office, which makes time and space from the title track and ‘Hopes & Expectations’ (black holes and revelations, anyone?) These final offerings feature guest vocals from Demoraliser’s James Dexter, proving what a tight-knit scene The Departed are part of. The fading façade of ‘Steal the Crown’ conveys how hard the band has worked on making this record commercially appealing and successful, because the production is bursting with variety right down to the final raging chord and screeching note

For five young men who don’t work on their music full time, The Departed have constructed something treacherous in the best way. ‘Steal the Crown’ is distinctive, impeccably put together and subtly slick, not to mention original in a world of catchy, crappy choruses.

4/5

Single Review: Kids in Glass Houses- ‘Drive’ (21/07/2013 – Roadrunner Records)

Formed in 2003, Kids in Glass Houses are a Cardiff-born Pop Punk band who have already enjoyed success with their first three albums; ‘Smart Casual’ (2008), ‘Dirt’ (2010) and ‘In Gold Blood’ 2011), as well as singles such as ‘Give Me What I Want’, ‘Matters At All’ and ‘Undercover Lover’ (featuring The Saturday’s Frankie Sanford). The quintet has shared stages with the likes of 30 Seconds to Mars and Manic Street Preachers, and are due to release their fourth full length album ‘Peace’ (2013) on 21^st September 2013, which will feature their brand new single ‘Drive’.

Using a poppier sound and stronger backbeat, ‘Drive’ is proof that Kids in Glass Houses are willing to vary their sound to suit what’s popular. However, they haven’t sacrificed their Rock origins and Pop Punk nature. They’ve also latched onto the truckloads of Indie styles finding their way into the music industry at the moment and the track’s vibe is so chirpy it’d be at home in a cheesy 90s song. It also boasts the impressive vocal abilities of frontman and vocalist Aled Phillips, but lyrically, although catchy, it does become a little repetitive as the song progresses.

In terms of emotion, ‘Drive’ severely lacks any direction as the lyrics are so drab it’s unclear what the track is even about. But it did place at number 3 in the ITunes Rock Chart and number 66 in the overall ITunes Chart, so the Welsh lads must be doing something right. However, ‘Drive’ does, however, have a great deal of live potential, due to how simplistic and cyclic it is. But what long term fans of Kids in Glass Houses will be looking for is a track about partying, pain and general angst against the world and people you encounter. This track, however, lacks any sort of sentimentality and heart in any capacity.

Despite how memorable ‘Drive’ is, it fails to utilise many of the signature characteristics that fans of the band are used to. If this is a shining example of what to expect in terms of new material from the boys, long-term fans may be disappointed, however it is a likeable, Indie-Pop style, party-perfect song with an immense melody.

3/5

Film Review: The Heat (15) – 20th Century Fox- (31/06/2013)

‘The Heat’ glimmers with something very rare in the film industry- an effective blend of genres. Not only is it rip-roaringly funny, it also has an action-packed, tense storyline to keep you on the edge of your seat. Starring Sandra Bullock as stuck-up, workaholic Special Agent Sarah Ashburn and comedy queen Melissa McCarthy as loudmouth, rebellious Police Officer Shannon Mullins, the film showcases the pair as a twosome who struggle to put up with one another’s stubborn habits but wind up merging their differing dexterities to become an unstoppable, comical dream team.

Detested by her co-workers, skilled Sarah Ashburn is tested by her New York boss as she’s trialled for a promotion and shipped to Boston, where she works against her will with Shannon. The duo encounter drug dealers, murders and gangs and work together to combat a notorious local drug dealer. Shannon’s brother Jason (Michael Rappaport), who’s just been released from prison, has had confrontations with the dealer in the past. As the officers bond over drunken nights, fist-fights and tons of near misses, not to mention one epic dance routine, they (of course) learn to blend their skills just in time to combat the bad guys.

For its entire 117 minutes, ‘The Heat’ is impeccably edited as the variety of shots are wonderfully slapped together dynamically and it really caters to a diverse audience. This proves that director Paul Feig, who charmed movie-goers with ‘Bridesmaids’ back in 2011 has created something warm, whimsical and incredibly witty, if a little formulaic. Although let’s face it, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! It may not have the visual flair of ‘Bridesmaids,’ but ‘The Heat’ is on another level humour wise.

Funnily enough, in all the 30 years of the Comedy genre, particularly buddy-cop style movies, male leads have been present in bucket-loads, yet ‘The Heat’ embraces female protagonists in the best light- a humour-ridden one. It’s so invigorating to spot an all-female lead cast in a Hollywood film and there’s plenty of comedy for both sexes to relish, no matter their sense of humour. The film’s full of moments that are sure to have rip-roaring laughter bursting from every mouth in the cinema.

One side-splitting, stand-out scene sees the officers dangling a criminal from his ankles on a balcony and they simply don’t possess the strength to haul him back up ,so he ends up falling onto a parked car below. And it’s safe to say it’s just as consistently belly-laugh worthy as its male-fronted predecessors and highlights how much the key cast members excel at physical comedy in particular. Although there may not be any striking set pieces or mesmerising costumes as such, the various types of comedy are the flick’s bread and butter.

"One side-splitting...scene..."

The script is well-honed, hilarious and memorable, which gives the film great potential for future popularity, especially considering it happens to be screenwriter Katie Dippold’s first film, “I'll shut the door on you. You lay down here and put your head in the door. And I'll slam it about 157,000 times!” It’s also full of brilliant slapstick humour as well as enough one-liners to keep even those with the attention span of the average goldfish chuckling, specifically when acid tongued, loose cannon Shannon encounters an albino colleague, “You look a little pale. Snowcone.”, not to mention when she gushes about the progress Jason’s made since leaving prison, particularly his special skill of “Keepin’ it real.” Yet it’s obvious that Dippold is an improvisational comedian as well as a screenwriter and actress, as she’s familiar with what’s funny, why it’s funny and who it might appeal to.

‘The Heat’’s got just the right dose of emotion to keep it comical as well as entertaining, and there’s even talks in the US of a sequel given how popular it’s been. The mismatched turned dynamite policing pair retain ferociously accurate comic timing throughout the movie and deliver detailed dramatic performances despite the tendency with comedies to be a little thin on the ground when it comes to character quirks and development. However the interplay between the two stars shoves the film straight to the top of movie lovers’ essential viewing list.

As chalk and cheese co-workers turned best friends, McCarthy and Bullock both boast memorable acting performances along with undeniable chemistry which carries the film throughout and makes you wonder why no one’s teamed them up before. ‘The Heat’ is a refreshing, solid showing in a summer of cinema littered with big-budget action films. It’s a real laugh-riot with a liberatingly vulgar script and certainly not your average fuzz film. It’s no surprise that The Heat 2 may already be in the pipeline-‘The Heat’ seriously sizzles!

5/5

Should Celebrities’ Children be caught on Camera?

The UK, the rest of the Commonwealth and let’s face it, the world, has stood still over the last few days. As third in line for the British throne, William and Kate Windsor’s (or Wills and Kate as they are better known) new born son has burst into the limelight with countless messages of congratulations flooding into the Royal couple as well as thousands of photographers making their way onto the internet instantly. But what if this 8lb 6oz bundle of joy opts to turn his back on his destiny of Monarchy? What if he does not want to be known by every citizen of the world?

The Royal Baby

 Instinct, Choice & Celebrity Culture

Parenting is all about instinct. Every decision you make as a parent is all a matter of personal choice. Should I save up so my child has a chance at further education? Should I give them a curfew? Or should I allow them to make decisions for themself? Many of those people lucky (or unlucky) enough to be in the glare of the public eye- celebrities to you and I, are parents. And the choices they make with regards to their kids become even more significant.

For a child with a famous parent, sometimes a life gracing the pages of Heat magazine is all they know. Take the offspring of Katie Price (Jordan) and Peter Andre. Although the couple are no more (sob sob) and Ms Price is undoubtedly shacking up with her latest hubby, their children have been subject to several reality shows and many a magazine spread. But being celebrities, everything they said and did was in the public domain and due to the popularity of their T.V. shows; their 2009 split was also public property.

Katie Price with two of her children

Katie Price has recently decided that Harvey, her severely disabled child from (another) previous relationship, is not to be featured in the public domain again until he can make the decision for himself. But the question is, should the couple have thrown their kids into public view with so little hesitation? Surely it would be best to wait until their children are at an age when they can decide whether their fate lies in the celebrity world or not. Even if your photographs of your parents are in the interest of the public that shouldn't mean you're automatically of interest to them as well. 

Paparazzi & the Law

Aside from campaigning or, let’s face it, just walking fast, there’s very little celebrity parents can do to prevent photographers from taking pictures of their kids. As long as the paparazzi are in a public place and are willing to fork out to get their work published in the press, there’s nothing stopping them. Several mothers have even physically lashed out at photographers for insistently snapping their cameras around their children, including Nicole Richie and Sarah Jessica Parker.

“They're always going to be pursued because there's a market for those photographs, and not much can be done to shield them” said Robert Mintz, from law firm McCarter & English. “Celebrities have gotten a restraining order against individual photographers, but even then, they're only required to maintain a certain distance- they're not precluded from photographing altogether.”

Constantly having your photo taken from a very young age can have severe mental and psychological effects on you. Lee Kamlet, Dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut and a former producer for ABC News said that he would worry as a famous parent. But he also said that sometimes celebrity parents put their kids in the spotlight deliberately. “Celebrity parents usually have a reason for having their children in public that may not be obvious, and they also have ways to shield them," he said. “But once you put them on public view, then they're absolutely fair game.”

Lourdes Leon (Madonna's daughter) 

Some celebrity children have had to learn this the hard way. Lourdes Leon, Madonna’s daughter, was snapped in May smoking a cigarette, which, of course is illegal for a 15-year-old. The image was printed in The New York Post and was therefore in the public domain and could not be removed. Although throwing kids into the spotlight can be a positive thing, perhaps to highlight a rare illness or condition they possess.

Protecting what’s precious

Some celebrities such as Ewan McGregor and his wife Eve Mavrakis, as well as Halle Berry, who in April this year began to campaign for a complete ban on photographing celebrity children. McGregor and his wife want to protect their four children from paparazzi and television shows in order to give them an ordinary upbringing. Whereas Halle Berry wants to have the 200-year-old law changed in the US so photographers are banned from taking pictures of all famous kids. Although she famously lost her custody case where she requested the court to allow her to move her daughter Nahla Aubrey to France because they have heavy anti-paparazzi laws in place.

One of the Media industry’s oldest dilemmas is finding the balance between the right to and the need to give consumers the news they’re after. Frank Griffin, co-owner of photographing agency. The Paparazzi has been under-fire ever since celebrity culture emerged and the fact is, legally if something can be seen it can be photographed. The only thing to be done within the constraints of the law is asking the photographer to stop, asking them to leave the area and wiping their memory card. Failure to leave private residence could result in being charged for trespassing.

The best way for celebrities to avoid the wrath of photographers and the glare of the media spotlight upon their children is to hide them from the public. Children are not emotional tools and despite how famous and in demand their parent may be, they have yet to reach an age when they can decide if the snap-happy life is for them. Being sheltered from photographers will do children no harm and allows them to grow up in as normal a fashion as possible.

Despite the fact that this may not be possible for the latest addition to the Windsor family, there are to be no Royal tours and vast public spectacles that were expected of Prince Charles and sister Anne when they were young. Therefore there has been progress with regards to protecting celebrity and royal children over the last decade or two, but more needs to be done to stop implementing parents’ lifestyle choices on their offspring. 

Film Review: Monster’s University (U) - Disney/Pixar (12/07/2013)

In 2001 a film was released by Disney and Pixar that would rapidly become one of the most successful films the two studios ever released. ‘Monsters’ Inc’ was, and remains to be one of the most well-loved films (by children and adults alike) and one of the most likely to make you choke on your popcorn from giggling or blubbing too much. Prequel ‘Monsters’ University’ boasts the returning voice talents of Billy Crystal and John Goodman (Mike Wazowski and Sulley) and is set as the twosome and their classmates train to become Scarers; before the two become an infamous pair of pals. There’s a few other familiar faces too as well as some new monstrous faces to meet along the way.

Directed by Dan Scanlon, ‘Monsters’ University’ premiered at London’s own BFI (Southbank) on 5^th June 2013 and was released in the US on 21^st June. It’s also accompanied by a heart-melting, delicately animated short film ‘The Blue Umbrella’, courtesy of Saschka Unseld, which tells the story of a chance meeting and eventual romance between two umbrellas. It also utilises an innovative sense of personification by highlighting the face-like features of many aspects of New York City- from buildings, to drains and, of course umbrellas.

So before you huff and puff at the thought of yet another spin-off movie, consider how ahead Pixar are compared to other computer animation studios. They’ve got a fantastic eye for detail, and let’s face it- what could be cuter than Mike Wazowski with a retainer brace? The studio’s narrative brilliance transfers incredibly well to the prequel style and tell the story of Mike and Sulley as University freshers- Mike is a keen student willing to do anything to become a great Scarer, whereas Sulley has a well-known family name to live up to and an arrogant attitude to match. Although most of the audience are aware of how the tale must end (due to the plot of the original film), it’s always interesting to see what conflicts, characters and catastrophically comic scenes the writers, directors and studios have dreamed up.

A wonderful sense of eerie authority is delivered by Helen Mirren in the form of the University’s Dean. She really casts a dark shadow over a world of harmless completion and campus activities. After a series of events, our heroes enter the Scare Games but are landed with a less than scary or seemingly capable team. An array of new characters are thrown into the mix in the form of their dysfunctional, unformidable team of down-and-outs, namely Oozma Kappa.

Setting Mike and Sulley against each other as rivals is a classic prequel component, but works effectively in this picture, mainly because of how down-played it is for comic effect. In fact, the vast amount of slapstick humour and one-liners in ‘Monsters’ University’ is astounding and carries audience’s interest whatever their age. There’s also a huge chunk of modern humour that’s sure to make the entire room cackle. Even if younger viewers aren’t aware of the original flick, it stands alone as an amusing rollercoaster ride of innocent college-age fun and friendship.

With Disney and Pixar being as illustrious a match as Mike and Sulley themselves, it’s no wonder they’ve clubbed together to create a realistic style website for the University. It’s designed in precisely the same style as a real university site and includes information about the campus, clubs and societies to join and academic staff. The animation in the film itself is immaculately crafted and incredibly detailed. ‘Monsters University’s’ writers have also complied something rarely found in prequels- perfectly tying the younger and older versions of characters together, especially the idea of Mike never being scary to many of the other monsters.

It’s a fast-paced, feel-good movie that transmits tremendous lessons about the likes of self-belief, trust, determination, hard work and alliances. ‘Monsters’ University’ is just faithful enough to the original film to please long-standing fans, but comical enough to welcome newbies with open arms. It also embraces a strong sense of nostalgia- a component that’s incredibly popular in the film industry and the media world in its entirety currently. But it can be a difficult balance to achieve- that between following a well thought-out formula that’s been proven successful and being inventive and imaginative. The creative team behind this film have hit the nail on the head and blended both admirably.

It’s a 92 minute mash-up of mayhem that showcases the zero-to-hero storyline in a way that hasn’t been done such ‘Hercules’ (1997). Mike Wazowski and Sully are as hilarious, unconventional and entertaining and ever and really bring the fantastic CG animation to life.

4/5

Single Review: Young Knives- ‘Oh Happiness’ (22/05/2012- Gadzook Records)

Some of the hardest grafters in the British Indie world come in the shape of Leicester’s own Young Knives- a four piece formed way back in 1998. The band originally went by the name of Simple Pastoral Existence, which only lasted 2 years until they split in 1999 and renamed themselves Ponyclub for a short period. Young Knives’ real commercial success unravelled in 2002 following the release of ‘The Young Knives…Are Dead.’ The quartet’s latest track ‘Oh Happiness’ is taken from their EP of the same name.

The track begins with bleeping, thumping sound effects that reflect their new wave success in the mid-2000s.With their eccentric attitude towards their music, use of throbbing syths and experimental sound, Young Knives illustrate their unique flair in bucket-loads. With a constant use of steady backbeats, electronic pulses and simplistic lyrics, the band have clearly got a firm grasp of their original fan base without the need for an utterly new style.

Young Knives’ vintage charm also comes across in the music video for ‘Oh Happiness’, which is made up of backlog of black and white images, mainly various women in differing successions.  The band’s BritPop influence is also obvious, which would have been an unavoidable influence considering when they began making music.

However, ‘Oh Happiness’ embraces the band’s Indie to Electo-style Pop style perfectly, but perhaps there is a reason this move has not been done before. Henry Dartnall’s vocals are also somewhat unappealing and fail to get the apathetic vibe that many singers of his generation possess. The track fails to evolve into anything ground-breaking and remains somewhat limp and repetitive throughout.

2/5

Film Review: ‘The World’s End’ (15)- Universal Studios (19/07/2013)

Comic dream team Simon Pegg and Nick Frost complete what’s come to be known as the Cornetto Trilogy with ‘The World’s End’- a laugh-out-loud funny flick about five old school chums getting together for the ultimate pub crawl, The Golden Mile in their hometown Newton Haven. It’s already earned a whopping £2.1million at the Box Office from its opening weekend and stars familiar faces from ‘Shaun of the Dead’ (2004) and ‘Hot Fuzz’ (2007) including David Bradley, Martin Freeman and even ex-007 actor Pierce Brosnan.

The soundtrack features the likes of Pulp, Kylie Minogue and Primal Scream that really enhance this slapstick feast for the eyes. ‘The World’s End’ follows hedonistic alcoholic Gary King (Pegg) who feels he has nothing in life but The Golden Mile. He lives in the past and gathers his old school pals together for a 12 pub crawl which reaches its conclusion at ‘The World’s End’ that they never completed as boys. For the first time in the Cornetto Trilogy, Frost plays the character with his head seemingly screwed on, complete with a swanky office (filmed at the IPC Media building, London), whilst Pegg plays the joker who’s the life and soul of the party.

Right from the off there’s a sudden swerve round the corner of the snappy prologue, simply because the first 20 minutes become so dreary that cinema seats would be vacated if it continued much longer. In order to not give the game away, let’s just say the surprise comes in the form of Sci-Fi; blue-blooded creatures of the futuristic variety that provide a welcomed sense of hilarity and physical comedy. It rapidly develops into the kind of film that doesn’t need a complex plot because of how witty, engaging and surprisingly touching it is, “I’ve always loved you… And I’m not just saying that ’cause I’ve had seven pints”, proving that there’s always time for sentiments- even in the midst of an attack from an unfamiliar race.

The films not an out and out Sci-Fi parody, which has allowed humour-driven creativity to blossom under the screenplay supervision of Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright. It’s energetic, sharp and visually dynamic, allowing it some serious credibility in terms of film making, production and overall direction courtesy of Edgar Wright (‘Scott Pilgrim’ vs. The World, ‘Spaced’, ‘Hot Fuzz’) ‘Legend’ and protagonist, the drug-taking, lying Gary King manipulates every one of his school mates to join his quest; the chance to relive their youth. Predictably, there’s a love interest (of sorts), a sense of cosy nostalgia, the element of surprise and countless brilliant one-liners, “"Old nutball and the shifty twins!”/“That’s a good name for a band, you should write that down!”

‘The World’s End’ provides the best character development of the trilogy, probably because the previous films focus more on comic character archetypes, and it’s emotionally deeper. There’s also countless blink-and-you’ll miss-it moments that’re so stylishly edited they’d be at home in an episode of ‘Dr Who’ or straightforward Sci-Fi movie. Pegg and Frost’s chemistry is undeniable and the pair of pop-culture fuelled geeks jam-pack the 109 minute flick with silly, side-splitting performances, “Get in your rocket and f*ck off back to Legoland you c*nt.”

With a fitting finale, this Best of British film is full of giddy energy and wholly entertaining. ‘The World’s End’ is far more than simply re-enacting school days and there’s no denying the acting skill of the cast. It really raises a glass to a sense of British eccentricity and provides a generous helping of satisfaction for Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, who may be calling time on their acting careers.

4/5

Single Review: For Marla, ‘Resentment’ (Self-Released- 18/06/2013)

Formed back in 2011, For Marla are an Alternative Rock band from Brighton and its clear their performing muscles have been well-exercised over the last couple of years, due to their musically-mature charm.

They have a variety-driven progressive style that’s almost gentle, despite the implications of the title of the single. ‘Resentment’ boasts a White Lies esque apathy in terms of vocal projection and flair, and the elegant yet thumping bass divides the various sections of the song. It’s clear how hard the band have worked with regards to live work and building a fan base from their social media.

Slightly 1980’s influenced vocally-speaking, For Marla have managed to hit the nail on the head when it comes to finding the balance between dawdling, dulcet tones and getting brutal, painful emotions through lyrics. It is something very few band and artists manage to claim and something to be applauded.

4/5