ALBUM REVIEW: The Evil One – Nervus
When it comes to song writing institutions in the UK music scene, NERVUS are up there with some of the best Brit rock bands. We are four albums in now, and the Watford-based band are again showing us that they can absolutely hang with the best of them, penning memorable tune after memorable tune. NERVUS are a band who are capable of producing songs that are absolute earworms, which contain within deeply personal accounts of discovering one’s self and raging at the disgraceful state of the system that we all live within. Look at the emotional introspection on debut Permanent Rainbow, or the lyrical savagery of Tough Crowd.
A key part of the band’s musical modus operandi is the sublime blend of sugary melodies with a biting lyrical narrative running throughout. Rental Song is a perfect example -a song which on the surface is an excellent example of the band’s keen ear for a sunny chorus hook. Listen closely however, for the true nature of the song paints a bleak portrait of the pandemic of debt, with a real sinister vein running throughout. It is sung from seemingly the perspective of a loan shark or a faceless banking corporation. “Never pay it back and you owe us ’til the day that you die” is a line that is all the more haunting given the shameful state of the country. This dark lyrical narrative permeates lead single Drop Out, where Em Foster pens an ode to disassociating from society and withdrawing from all of the existential horror that we are presented with on a day to day basis, all sung to one of the most memorable melodies that the band have ever written. A future stalwart of the band’s live set for sure.
As a band, NERVUS have always had a really enjoyable and distinctive sound that lifts the stunning melodies to a new height. The dreamy quality of Jellyfish develops a wonderfully inward looking lyrical idea about about finding solace in finding a comparison between the lead character of the song and the eponymous Medusozoan. As a listener we are drawn into the scene with the sunny melody, and a wonderful piece of studio trickery lures us in to the quiet introspection, as if we are drawn in by the gentle lapping of waves, before the lead guitar line brings us back to reality, perhaps with a renewed sense of calm. The noodly guitar line on Jellyfish also evokes a sense of the influence of Americana, similar to the closing track Absolute Yuck.
Whilst this is a continuation of NERVUS‘ signature sound, there is no doubt that this is yet again another triumph for the Watford quartet. Foster has a way with words and melodies that is enviable, and her excellent vocal performance elevates the brilliance of this collection of songs yet again. In a perfect world, NERVUS would be receiving the reverence that is hurled at bands like AMERICAN FOOTBALL or MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, playing big venues and reaching an international stage. But something about their small size is all the more thrilling, and that a few hundred people in a basement will be singing along to every single word on The Evil One should fill us all with joy.
Rating: 9/10
The Evil One is out now via Get Better Records.
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