ALBUM REVIEW: Freaking Out – Lowlives
It’s almost impossible to create an album to make people fall in love with a band immediately, and especially a debut, but LOWLIVES have managed this in their new release Freaking Out. Delivering some thrashy tracks but also being reminiscent of the bands who inspired them in the first place, LOWLIVES are onto something special.
Freaking Out wastes no time in kicking off with heavy drums and thrashy guitar riffs on the title track. From the moment it starts it sets the tone of the album and demonstrates what these guys are capable of. It’s a heavy track with great vocals all at once strained but still soaring whilst being guttural and gritty when they need to be. Liar follows and is lighter than the previous track but it’s still a great bombastic rock song. It’s got an anthemic chorus and relatable lyrical content which is a great way to connect with audiences. The roaring guitars are present but it’s the drum lines that really drive this song and seem to take centre stage.
Swan Dive is more of a heavier grunge track with the guitars crushing down on it whilst the vocals are low and more foreboding. It’s such a thick track as everything has been thrown at the wall here and almost everything has stuck. This track’s a little simpler but it’s difficult to tell with the level of production that’s been utilized. However, the song changes pace toward the end as a clean guitar part takes over and the synths come in, changing from a heavy doom track to some dreamlike instrumental. It’s unexpected but welcome all the same.
Loser is not really what it says on the tin as it’s about wishing to be a loser. It shows a level of vulnerability to the band as this seems like it could be insecurity although maybe with a touch of satire. It’s got more of a flow than previous tracks and it feels a little reminiscent of some of the most prominent 90s rock bands – like early WEEZER. The 90s theme continues as SMASHING PUMPKINS vibes ensue on You Don’t Care, but LOWLIVES make it their own as it’s much heavier and a lot faster, although the vocals seem to have some effects in the verse which feels a little reminiscent of Billy Corgan’s style. This track really builds in the verses and explodes into the choruses as they come in strong with a gut-punching hook that’s hard not to enjoy.
Closer Than You Know sounds like a college rock track from the early 00s but it’s not cheesy like a lot of college rock was. It feels a little more honest and the band make a departure from their heavy grungy/punk style as this is more of a straight-up rock sound with more melody in the guitars and more melodic vocal parts. It’s still a great jam though. Damien continues this trend but faster with biting vocals and a certain desperation and despair bringing a darker feel to this track. The whining guitars add to this and the optimism heard in the earlier tracks is pretty much gone.
Vertigo is played mostly on an acoustic guitar with a much lighter feel than the rest of the album with strings incorporated and a rawer take on the vocals. Vocalist Lee Downer has stated he has a passion for NIRVANA and he seems to channel it throughout the album but especially on this track with the vocals even having a little grit reminiscent of Kurt Cobain himself. This track shows that although these guys want to write and play rocky, grungy, punky songs that is not what they’re confined to, and they are capable of writing slower more emotionally charged songs. It’s a great track and a great way to end an excellent album.
Freaking Out is a chaotic explosion of some truly great music. It’s not going to be to everyone’s taste of course but it’s hard to deny the talent and the clever songwriting that’s on display. LOWLIVES show a lot of promise on this album and it’s hard to imagine that they won’t deliver on any future releases. But for now, Freaking Out is exceptional.
Rating: 9/10
Freaking Out is set for release on May 31st via Spinefarm Records.
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