With rebellion in its heart and every senses trespassing riff that it unleashes, Vox Pop is the debut EP from UK outfit Sheafs and we suggest one of the most rousing and truly exciting encounters you will be likely to come across this year.
Formed in 2015, Sheffield hailing Sheafs has certainly teased and tempted attention with their songs and live presence which has seen them support the likes of The Amazons, The Coral, IDLES, and Greta Van Fleet but they have now made a full-blooded demand on scrutiny and recognition with Vox Pop which surely will prove impossible for the masses to ignore. Produced by Dead Nature/Spring King talent Tarek Musa and Jonathan Hucks, the EP pounces on ears from its first breath, its indie rock/pop punk nurtured sounds insatiable in their aggressive virulence and defiant condemnation loaded words “confronting the frustrations of a consumerist world that profits from people’s low self-esteem and self-doubt” a potent incitement.
Thinking Out Loud bursts from EP and speakers first, the track rhythmically pounding out an invitation to which guitars add rich impetus with their inviting grooves. Once a thick bassline joins the enticement, the song was in full control of attention, vocalist Lawrence Feenstra completing the fertile lure with a delivery as striking as the hooks which litter the already irresistible song. The guitars of Chris Goodacre and Charles Mellor spring a web of riffs and melodic wiring, clarity and fuzziness aligning within its irrepressible trap. The song is superb, addiction spilled with every note and syllable as the band’s already proving individual sound leapt upon ears and appetite.
As reinforced by next up World Is Falling Apart, the distinctiveness of Sheafs‘ sound is inescapable though there is something of an Asylums meets Baddies breath to it at times. The EP’s second track shows more restraint in its energy though every aspect is a boisterous incitement from its intoxicating groove to the rhythmic shuffle cast by the bass of Callum Wright and Charlie Eastap’s beats. A psych rock spice wraps each melody and seeps into every atmospheric intimation bred in the open imagination of the quintet as again inherent infectiousness fuels every intensity soaked moment uncaged before the band’s new single Total Vanity erupts. Straight away rhythms and riffs seize the moment, each pounding out audacious virulence incitement as Feenstra’s tones and words spring their own inimitable motivation upon ears and thoughts. The track is raucous splendour, a slice of fearless irresistibility sure to lead fresh hordes to the mutiny of Sheafs.
Shopping equally gripped from its first call, a post punk nagging at the heart of another unapologetically virulent tempting. As with all tracks there is a delicious tempestuousness which boils up in varying degrees but always adds riveting drama and energy to the contagion of in this case consumer exploitation.
With the just as magnificent Care Less bringing the EP to a close, the incendiary track an insatiable infestation of punk bred, dissent soaked rock ‘n’ roll, Vox Pop is an explosion of sound which certainly stopped us in our tracks. New music consistently grabs attention and excites but few things spark real anticipation of major things ahead; Sheafs and their full introduction is one of those rare moments so are you ready?
Vox Pop is out now via Blood Records.
https://www.sheafs.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/sheafsband https://twitter.com/sheafsband
Pete RingMaster 13/03/2020
Copyright RingMasterReview: MyFreeCopyright
With a general tag of being a rock band, Radio Mafia swiftly reveal that term covers a canvas of flavours and styles which never left us anything less than fascinated. Don’t Think About It opens with its title track, the song a gentle lure on ears with its instinctive funk pop stroll. The deep tone of the bass swiftly proved thick captivation matched by that urged by the emotive prowess of the vocals, both gaining a fiery energy as the track brews an earthy rock fuelled eruption.
Tabula Rasa opens up with Vztek (Rage) and a barrage of barbarous but defined rhythms from drummer Buchy, his heady beats banging on the door of the senses and attention before being joined by a tide of riffs and the heavy grumble of Jenda’s bass. Quickly the bassist’s vocals spring their antipathy and magnetism into the assault, the guitars of Bombo and Špirda continuing to entrap and arouse with voracious riffs and grooves. There has always been a raw feral breath to the band’s thrash metal confrontations and the first song of the EP alone shows it has lost none of its potency even as craft and imagination in songwriting and sound has further grown.
Darkness Calling follows with again a rhythmic tempting which burrowed under the skin. Electronic fingering and the sonic courting of guitar brings shadows and ears together, the Korn-esque flames of the latter lighting up the earthier but no less infectious declaration from VolK’s voice. The track is superb, its senses grinding grooves and dubstep throbbing swift addiction and quickly matched in potency by the even more esurient intent and drama of My Devil. Keys gently entice with a crepuscular sheen before the track erupts in another ravenous incitement, again psyche burrowing grooves leading the way as raptorial rhythms pounce. The contrast of crystalline electronics and musical predation simply gripped attention, all the while rhythms jabbing and stalking with manipulative animation as gut bred vocals magnetically nagged; a dubstep solo from DJ Gigantor from the band Evol Intent extra creative flesh to feast upon.
First up is the new solo track from Harry Stafford of post-punk gothic rockers Inca Babies and a rather potent taste of the Manchester hailing musician’s forthcoming album, Gothic Urban Blues.
almost viscerally shimmers with electronic luminescence though this is underlined by its own suggestive shadows.
With a double EP in Fishbowl/ Terrestrial due March 20th, Alienbaby Collective is another fine proposition offering up some potent teasers in the shape of singles of which Degenerate Moon is an infestation of sound, a noise rock bred trespass of ears and imagination as captivating in its melodic craft as it is in fuzz induced irreverence.
Millimeter Omega Recordings, the US outfit drop the enticing offering of Ballad of JC Quinn as a lead and warm up for intrigue and attention on March 6th.
An even paced enticement, the track makes for a transfixing start though the following Love Sports had body and attention quickly bouncing with greater urgency straight after; its pop virulence and melody thick mesmerism pure captivation. As with all tracks there is a delicious claustrophobic effect to the song’s temptation, an easy and whole immersion in its creative enchantment which never warrants a wish to escape in this song or the album as a whole.