Title: Waves
Format Reviewed: MP3
Format Release: 20th January 2014
Reviewed By: Dan Stoten
British rock music has certainly experienced something of a revival over the past decade or so, and this shows no sign of abating, with bands such as Deaf Havana, Mallory Knox and Blitz Kids (as well as the more obvious Biffy Clyro and so on) carrying the flag with brilliance. Jumping on the bandwagon now are Peterborough newcomers Phoenix Calling with their debut EP, Waves.
What we have here is an impressive debut which shows this quintet have a huge amount of potential. Lead single Bring The Roof Down is the easily catchiest song on this four-track EP but not necessarily the strongest for that. It's a good pop-rock song, with towering melodies and Deaf Havana on gang vocals (yes, really!) but is somewhat shallow: once you've heard it once or twice, it's enough for a while.
For me, the darker, deeper, and all together less 'obvious' titles here are the better songs. Traces is a genuinely outstanding song, combining stunning vocal with a deliciously melodic chorus and dappling guitar. It's a truly soaring song, one which takes you out of the drudgery of every day life, bringing a level of optimism and happiness only truly superb music can. The lyrics themselves are far from joyous, but this adds to the complexity of the track, one of it's key strengths.
Regarding other two tracks here, We Were Young is a driving, passionate rock song which carries the listener along an edgy and choppy melody. It's not the easiest listen but definitely rewards persistence: after the third or fourth listen you can appreciate the intricacies which lay within the songwriting and musical layers here. Influences are clear from across the rock spectrum, but the band just about, and I mean just about manage to pull it off without sounding too similar to others on the scene.
Everybody Knows, the EP opener, has an intro which sounds almost like a carbon copy of rock veterans Feeder before it drops into another driving yet slickly melodic track. It's perhaps slightly too generic, however, and doesn't stand out when compared to the rest of the EP.
Overall, though, this is definitely a highly promising debut from a band who have only been formed about a year. There is quality here which shines bright and will carry them forward into 2014. Not quite a five-star debut, this is nevertheless very highly recommended.
Waves is available 20th January 2014
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