ALBUM REVIEW: Oh Dearism – itoldyouiwouldeatyou

ITOLDYOUIWOULDEATYOU have been making waves in the UK DIY scene for a while now. The indie/punk/emo group have built up quite a reputation this year and with their debut full length Oh Dearism they seem to have set their sights beyond the DIY scene.

Oh Dearism is an album absolutely brimming with ideas. Every song goes through several twists and turns and very little about this album is straightforward. Simply calling it an emo or punk album does a huge disservice to everything ITOLDYOUIWOULDEATYOU tried here. They are really trying to take the listener on a journey with this album both musically and in terms of the lyrics.

Every song on this album sees vocalist Joey Ashworth pouring their heart out and it really pulls the listener in. Whether it’s on the softer moments or the pained screams there is so much authenticity to their performance here and it really elevates these songs. The songs are clearly very personal to the band yet for many listeners will be incredibly relatable. Gender and sexuality in particular dominate large parts of this album which will really resonate with many who have struggled with similar feelings. The harmonies the rest of the band contribute also provide another layer to the vocals and are really quite stunning at points.

This is all backed by a musical canvas that has its roots in math rock there’s so many other ideas used throughout. The music and vocals sync up so well to create some genuinely explosive moments and with so much going on it’s impressive that nothing on this album sounds messy. The peak of this all comes with the penulimate track Greek Fire. A sprawling eight minutes that seems to cram in every little idea ITOLDYOUIWOULDEATYOU have had. It never feels drawn out.

The album then concludes with it’s most experimental moment. Goodbye To All That mixes in poetry over the over guitars that gradually build. It feels like a bizarre way to close especially coming after Greek Fire but it just fits in with the unconventional way ITOLDYOUIWOULDEATYOU go about things.

Oh Dearism is certainly hard work and will not be for everyone. As previously mentioned very little about this album is straight forward. For all the brilliant pop melodies the band will then launch into some complex math rock section. It’s a slow burning record that requires multiple listens to really dig into. It definitely isn’t for those with a short attention span. But it is an album worth sticking with as it is packed with some undeniably beautiful moments. And it’s just another album that deals with themes that are so important right now. Whether it’s the stuff about identity or when the band aim to go more political there is so much conviction in their words. Hopefully this album is their first stepping stone onto much bigger things as there is no doubt that the best is yet to come from ITOLDYOUIWOULDEATYOU.

Rating: 8/10

Oh Dearism is out now via Alcopop! Records/Failure By Design.

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