EP REVIEW: Fool’s Errand – Blue Stragglers

BLUE STRAGGLERS have always done things on their own terms. After their local pub The Dunn Horse closed, the band stripped it before it was turned into flats and moved the interior into lead singer Lee Martin‘s house to make it their headquarters. Since then, the rock trio – completed by bassist Ali Waite and drummer Andy Head – have regularly curated and hosted concerts at the house. In 2022, they released their debut self-titled EP and toured throughout the country, including with an appearance at 2022’s Download Festival, and now they’re back with their second EP, Fool’s Errand.

Driverside starts off with a piano before launching into an electronic rock song that’s wonderfully infectious. Unfortunately, the vocals do overwhelm the instruments for the majority of the song until the last minute or so. This therefore makes the song sound a bit like an acapella, which isn’t a bad thing; however, with the instruments becoming more prominent in the final part of the song, the structure feels a bit odd.

Thankfully, this remedies itself throughout the rest of the EP. Whether it is the grungy rock of the title track or the heavy rock of Reactor, the instruments and the vocals blend well together. Each of the six songs also see the band touching on different sub-genres of rock music, and each builds upon the previous one, giving the EP continuity and showing that BLUE STRAGGLERS are happy to experiment with the broadness of rock music.

Despite each song sounding different, the EP works because the tracks get enough time to establish themselves. There is also the fact that there are six songs here, which means that it doesn’t feel rushed. It is also clear how much love and care each song has been given, and that the band are passionate about what they do.

Overall, BLUE STRAGGLERS have shown that they mean business with Fool’s Errand. With the EP touching on a lot of different styles and subgenres, it could have sounded jumbled, but it doesn’t, and instead it shows that the band are willing to expand their sound. If you are looking for a fresh new take on rock music, then this EP is the one for you.

Rating: 8/10

Fool’s Errand is set for release on November 10th via Hassle Records.

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