EP: “Growing Pains” by Lower Lands

When you listen to a British band, it’s always refreshing to hear that all-so-familiar accent that most British vocalists hide. Lower Lands from Lincoln, UK, have just that.

Lower Lands consist of Benji (Guitar, vocals), Paul (Guitar, vocals), Jacob (Bass, vocals) and Sam (Drums, vocals).

The band’s music can be described as alternative with punk influences, and have a similar concept and sound to bands such as Lower Than Atlantis and Deaf Havana, but are currently facing the problem of constantly being compared automatically due to ridiculous things like video concepts and wording in names and songs which the band will hopefully be able to conquer.

The band is currently in the Red Bull Bedroom Jam, and at the same time as competing with some amazing bands, managed to get together a new EP called Growing Pains. I was privileged enough to be able to hear it to review, and you guys will be able to listen to it on the 14th; but it’s worth the wait. When first listening to them, I listened to their weakest song first by accident, and first impressions regarding bands are important and difficult to change, yet after listening to one other song on Growing Pains, the band won me over and I can now call myself a Lower Lands fan.

It’s obvious the band have talent from the first track. It’s called Wide Eyes, and the listener will widen their eyes when they hear it; the song is brilliant. It’s catchy, fun to listen to, and overall a great opening track to the EP, which makes you keen to listen to more. The music has great beats and riffs, and shows off the skills of the members. It’s almost as if the band is trying to cram all their talent for their whole career into this first song, as it works. The vocalists are obviously talented, and they let their British accents show is their unique vocals, which is great because most American vocalists all sound relatively the same, whereas Lower Lands will be hard to get an exact match in another band. The vocals hit and hold the notes well, whilst being completely recognizable.

Usually in band’s EPs, lyrics aren’t as good as the performance, and the talent regarding lyrics gets better throughout time and experience. But for Lower Lands, their lyrics are already creative, fresh and strong.

The second track, 12 Green Bottles, ties the whole EP together in the fact that it’s completely different to the first track and shows us that the band can alternate and not just have to stick to one type of music, mood and performance, which continues to show in Idle Hands, Empty Pockets, which is completely different mood and shows off the vocalists’ talents the most out the album.

Then comes Reality in Routine, which I feel is the weakest song on the album. The music and vocals mixed don’t do the band justice as together in this song the vocals sound flat and the music sounds messy. The lyrics continue to be of good standard, but they’re harder to understand in this track, and stop the band sounding like the professional, talented rock band they’ve sounded like on the preview three tracks. Unfortunately, this was a fall back in the EP, but the Lower Lands guys bounced right back with their song Why Don’t We Just Build A Cathedral?

The song brings a pop punk essence forward, and once again is an example that the band is talented and capable to avoid repetition in their music and change an atmosphere. The last track on the EP is of the same title of the EP; Growing Pains. It finishes the EP with the same sheer brilliance that it begins with, and one of the best songs on the EP. It has a fun, feel good feel to it that you would expect to listen and dance to on a summer’s evening with a cold drink at a festival. It ends the album on a positive note, which encourages the listeners to want and need more.

The whole EP works really well together as a whole, and never shows the same sounding song twice; every song is original, creative and has a different feel to it, which the listener will love as there is a different track for every different mood or day.

Overall, Lower Lands, are seriously talented, and I have a feeling these guys are going to get the attention and recognition they deserve as their music sounds like it comes from a successful, well-known and loved band, and not a band who have only been together a short while. Expect big from these guys; I don’t doubt they’ll stop getting better any time soon.

Growing Pains will be out on the 14th, and if you like Lower Lands, make sure to check them out and vote for them here; http://www.redbullbedroomjam.com/band/lower-lands/

…and it is available for pre-order from here;
http://iammightyrecords.bigcartel.com/product/lower-lands-growing-pains-pre-order

Links
http://www.facebook.com/lowerlands
http://www.myspace.com/lowerlands
http://www.twitter.com/LowerLandsUK
http://www.youtube.com/user/LowerLands

Words by Bryanna-Leigh.