Their new album might just declare The Fall Of Man but with eight slices of inventively rousing rock ‘n’ roll it also announces the rise of Rat Face Lewey.
The London based alt-rockers have certainly felt praise and support since emerging nine years back but with their latest offering it is easy to suggest that the British trio could now spark major attention. East Midlands hailing, Rat Face Lewey was formed by brothers, vocalist/guitarist Jonny and bassist Mav with Gregg on drums. Their sound rose on the inspirations of bands such as Nirvana, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and The Manic Street Preachers and in 2013 formed a well-received debut album in the shape of Wonder Before Mess, a number of its tracks finding a place and longevity on playlists throughout the globe. A couple of Matthew Hyde produced singles in Dead in the Ground and Digital Prison two years later only enhanced the band’s reputation and rise up the ranks of the British rock scene, a position under the threat of far loftier heights through the ear gripping holler of The Fall Of Man.
The album opens up with Tell Your Friends About Me and a combined vocal introduction which had ears on keen alert before earthy riffs and punchy rhythms took a firm hold. Swiftly a hard rock scented amble breaks free as vocals continue to impress, eager catchiness soaking every wire from the guitar and each controlled yet boisterous rhythm. Imagination equally is at potent play as the song twists and turns with magnetic enterprise revealing that the band’s sound has moved far away from those early influences to find its own predominate identity though at times there is a great Terrorvision like whiff to it.
As strong and stirring as it is, the first track is quickly eclipsed by its successor. Comfortable entices with an engaging guitar beckoning which soon sparks a bouncing punk ‘n’ roll stroll with a Green Day-esque hue to its infection. Contagious in every essence, the track incited mutual spirit and bounce before The Pirate Song washed up on the shores of temptation, a guitar shimmer springing a shapely melody which in turn ignites a rapacious hook equipped rock canter. Continued animation in that hookery combined with anthemic vocal calls singular and united shape our favourite moment within the album, its shanty like swing the froth to its creative ale.
Replaced is next up, another calm but resourceful thread of guitar ensuring close attention confirmed by Jonny’s voice before being surrounded by a larger web of stirring sound. Mav’s bass again provides a delicious gnarly tone to its throaty lines whilst all the while the song shares unpredictable twists and tenacious turns to prove a rival for that best moment choice as too does its successor, Fight My Noose, thanks to the best opening to a track on the album. Straight away it nagged at the senses, guitar and bass stirring instincts with their united persistence. As the song continued to expand there is no lessening of its potency and manipulation, a punk breeding firing up song and passions alike.
The album’s title track follows, prowling with feral breath even as harmonies and melodies wrap its untamed heart. Defiance and angst soak its every note and syllable, its enraged roars as gripping as its melodic and sonic adventure.
The final pair of This Turtle and Belong to Yourself equally reveals additional shades to the band’s sound. The first is a contagious slab of punk ‘n’ roll bordering on pop virulent but hungrily muscular with the second a fire of melodic and infectious energy as composed as it is impassioned and imaginatively crafted. While maybe not as commanding as those before it, it makes for a fine end to a richly enjoyable and accomplished release which should put Rat Face Lewey firmly on the map.
The Fall of Man is released Sept 6th.
http://www.ratfacelewey.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/Ratfacelewey/
Pete RingMaster 06/09/2019
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
Nothing Dramatic opens up with its title track and immediately had ears pricked with its initial spindly riff, a hook even more enticing as a mass of noise bred temptation brews up around it. Straight away an infectious coaxing is at play, becoming even more mischievous as the band’s alternative rock bred sound erupts with a devilish swing and melodic tempting. The vocals of bassist Jake Tilley are just as magnetic as the enterprise around them, his and drummer Stevo Somerset’s manipulative rhythms caging the inventively magnetic exploits of guitarists Josh Pearl and Alex Young. Blending muscular and forceful textures with more poised and seductive hues, the song sets a high bar for the release and a moment which remained our favourite though closely nudged throughout the EP.
The Killers has been suggested as a reference to the band’s music but straight away as What For? strolls through ears and especially as it settles into its eager almost teasing temptation an Inspiral Carpets like hue rises to the fore. Even so it is simply a single flavouring in the band’s indie rock audacity as the guitar and vocals of John Hewitson swing across the rhythmic enticement of bassist Craig Morrison and drummer Robert Lang. There is a great grumble to that bass which earths the loftier melodic threads which spring from the guitar while Lang’s beats just enjoyably nag throughout.
Darker hues line next up Something Beautiful, a track though instantly just as contagious as its predecessor even as its relatively calmer contemplation and attack leads to thicker intensity and energy. The delicious throaty tone of bass is just one compelling aspect to the eager encounter, vocals and guitar enterprise as magnetic whilst skilfully backed by Hartop’s manipulative rhythms; imaginative twists and turns adding to the track’s pure infectiousness.
The EP opens with the swiftly irresistible Uncertain Purpose, a track which teased and hooked ears and appetite from its slightly manic opening alone. Quickly it hit its infectious swing, guitars and rhythms a feral incitement within and the dissonance of all glorious elements mischievous. The vocals of Cheung add to the devilment of the track’s contagious trespass as hooks and grooves collude in creative delinquency. It proves a rousing slice of grunge punk with a great Asylums-esque character placing a quick and firm grip on best track honours though its briefness does prove a frustration if one soon defused by the tracks to follow.
The track is superb and never matched but certainly rivalled by things to come starting with Monday Man. It too took barely a breath to grip appetite and attention, bass and drums united in delicious bait before guitars sprung their own virulent enticement. In no time a pop rock energy and catchiness floods the expanding encounter, Garland’s vocals leading the tempting with zeal as melodic and sonic invention collude in equally magnetic persuasion. By the second greater urgency and dissonance emerges, firing up the roar and intensity of the song but never lessening the pull of its contagion before Whale, Whale, Whale brings its own catchy wiring and ravenous appetite to the release. Instantly a ferocious intent accompanies the senses shaking surge of incitement, a nagging groove taunting and enslaving ears within the turbulence of sound and emotion. It is a tempest though which breaks for melodic intervention and emotional reassurance but ultimately stalks and harries pleasure into inescapable subservience.
Though for personal tastes the release never quite reached those major heights again, its presence and enterprise is a lofty adventure that continues to beguile, next up Baby Doll providing a fiery blaze of punk shaped rock ‘n’ roll with progressive breath to its winds as melodic seduction fuels its great unpredictability.