EP REVIEW: Swerving Out Wide – Naked Next Door
NAKED NEXT DOOR are a band with a name you are unlikely to forget. The four piece from Milton Keynes consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Euan Emerton, bassist and backing vocalist, Corin Schenks, drummer and backing vocalist, Callum Petchey and guitarist, Tommy Woodward. They have been a band for three years, starting out when they were just seventeen. Their new EP Swerving Out Wide follows on from 2019’s Stuck In My Mind and with the indie-rockers making a name for themselves through a rapidly growing fan base and sell-out hometown shows, will this new EP continue their growing success?
Produced and mixed by Larry Hibbitt, who has worked with the likes of NOTHING BUT THIEVES, SEAGIRLS and BLOXX, this six track EP has a strong start. Opening song Save It has a mellow rock vibe to it, which is further emphasised by Emerton‘s husky vocals. The pacing of the song is mid-tempo, and the guitars are the highlight of the track. Despite the short runtime of only two minutes and forty seconds, the song does not feel rushed at all. This is because the production of the song is smooth and allows all the instruments to have their fair share of audio time, allowing them to breathe and showcase the talent from across the four piece.
Truth Is, the second song on the EP, increases the tempo from mellow to a high energy affair. This might affect the pacing if other bands attempted this, however, thanks to Hibbitt‘s sound production job, the pacing on the EP is smooth so far, and this is a positive thing to see from a band that are still so new to the scene. The only flaw of the song is that it ends abruptly, which leaves a lot to be desired. This is unfortunate as it makes the otherwise very strong song sound unfinished.
Midpoint song Halo has a mellow indie vibe which are accompanied by a thumping drum beat by Woodward. The song sounds a lot like a THE 1975 b-side. This is unfortunate because it becomes forgettable in amongst the more upbeat songs, and therefore negatively affecting the pace of the EP. Thankfully, Noise improves upon the previous song’s lacklustre impact. The song takes its name literally; it’s grungy, louder and more upbeat. The placing of the song feels perfect. Whilst the last track felt out of place on the EP, this song fits right in. This therefore improves the pacing of the EP.
Not Much Of Me is a slow, acoustic song. Although it is vastly different to the songs so far on the EP, there is a rawness to it. The slowness feels well placed, almost acting as a time to rest during a hectic concert. Despite being an entirely acoustic song, the pacing is not affected at all. This is due to a slow song often always being on an album or EP. The final song, Lying To Me, brings the energy thanks to its upbeat and catchy vibe. It is a well-rounded end to the EP because it brings back the vibe we first heard with Save It, making the EP come full circle.
Despite one weak song with Halo, Swerving Out Wide is enjoyable. For a band just starting out, they deserve the growing fan base and sold-out shows. The EP is well-produced and the instrumentation and vocals are strong. For a group who are on their second EP, they have an immense amount of talent. Swerving Out Wide shows that NAKED NEXT DOOR are just getting started on their rise to glory.
Rating: 8/10
Swerving Out Wide is out now via Honest Records.
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