What are we talking about?
We gather here today to discuss Liverpool’s self-described ‘Not a pop band’ Bad Mood and their debut single ‘May 2nd’
Members:
L Devall - vocals/guitar
D McCann - guitar/vocals
T Carroll - bass/vocals
A Fernihough - drums/production
What hooked me?
I’ll be honest it was selfish reasons that hooked me, my birthday is May 2nd. There is a 1 in 365 and a bit chance this track will draw people in for the same reason. Other than that it isn’t often we get videos to review. The atmosphere created early on by both the music and visuals are enough to make you keep watching and listening. Key moments: Intros are important and Bad Mood bring their debut single in all together, with a lead riff that hangs in the air and ushers us into the dark alley of this song. After the intro everything cuts out bar the rhythm guitar and vocals, which is always a daring move as the drive of a song can fall away in such moments, not here though, it works perfectly. We are then greeted by some delightful bends before the anthemic “ay ay aaayyyy” of the pre-chorus. The chorus itself is has the singalong quality needed in such a track and the lead riff that guides us out works brilliantly. The outro is big and brings the dark delight of the song to a crashing and quality end. Basically the whole song is a key moment. Stand out lyric: “You can be king from your armchair please don’t stand or say a thing”
Video:
Primarily this is a performance based video, which is always good as it doesn’t distract the audience from the song. What is unique about this video though is how much it adds to what we are hearing. The imagery from the lyrics is portrayed by the band and intercut with the performance itself. The dim red lighting and warped faces really accentuate that slightly unsettling feel you get from the track. Great video, better than most of the stuff you on TV. Side note: The Bassist appears to be wearing a duster which is “not a jacket. It's a duster. It's like a jacket only it's longer, thicker, and far more bad-ass” Video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgrPcl00eEc
Feedback:
Do you remember in the early-mid 00s when indie or alternative rock or whatever you want to call it had a massive boost after the late 90s carve and copy brit-pop dullness? Well Bad Mood hark back to that brief shining period but in a way that it sounds new and interesting. May 2nd particularly reminds me of (though doesn’t sound like) the Icelandic band Leaves’ track ‘Epitaph’ with its brooding sound. In fact, I think ‘brooding’ may be the word to best describe Bad Mood. There is a darkly menacing quality to the track and there has obviously been a level of thought and anger put in to it. Many bands strive to build an atmosphere with their sound and videos and Bad Mood have already established one with their debut.
Summary:
Great track. Good balance of darkness and catchiness. As a debut single it works brilliantly, you get a feeling of what the band are about and a good sense of their sound while wanting to hear more from them.
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Reviewer Profile:
Kenn Rushworth is a human male; he can’t find his keys.
Twitter: @attheharbour
We gather here today to discuss Liverpool’s self-described ‘Not a pop band’ Bad Mood and their debut single ‘May 2nd’
Members:
L Devall - vocals/guitar
D McCann - guitar/vocals
T Carroll - bass/vocals
A Fernihough - drums/production
What hooked me?
I’ll be honest it was selfish reasons that hooked me, my birthday is May 2nd. There is a 1 in 365 and a bit chance this track will draw people in for the same reason. Other than that it isn’t often we get videos to review. The atmosphere created early on by both the music and visuals are enough to make you keep watching and listening. Key moments: Intros are important and Bad Mood bring their debut single in all together, with a lead riff that hangs in the air and ushers us into the dark alley of this song. After the intro everything cuts out bar the rhythm guitar and vocals, which is always a daring move as the drive of a song can fall away in such moments, not here though, it works perfectly. We are then greeted by some delightful bends before the anthemic “ay ay aaayyyy” of the pre-chorus. The chorus itself is has the singalong quality needed in such a track and the lead riff that guides us out works brilliantly. The outro is big and brings the dark delight of the song to a crashing and quality end. Basically the whole song is a key moment. Stand out lyric: “You can be king from your armchair please don’t stand or say a thing”
Video:
Primarily this is a performance based video, which is always good as it doesn’t distract the audience from the song. What is unique about this video though is how much it adds to what we are hearing. The imagery from the lyrics is portrayed by the band and intercut with the performance itself. The dim red lighting and warped faces really accentuate that slightly unsettling feel you get from the track. Great video, better than most of the stuff you on TV. Side note: The Bassist appears to be wearing a duster which is “not a jacket. It's a duster. It's like a jacket only it's longer, thicker, and far more bad-ass” Video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgrPcl00eEc
Feedback:
Do you remember in the early-mid 00s when indie or alternative rock or whatever you want to call it had a massive boost after the late 90s carve and copy brit-pop dullness? Well Bad Mood hark back to that brief shining period but in a way that it sounds new and interesting. May 2nd particularly reminds me of (though doesn’t sound like) the Icelandic band Leaves’ track ‘Epitaph’ with its brooding sound. In fact, I think ‘brooding’ may be the word to best describe Bad Mood. There is a darkly menacing quality to the track and there has obviously been a level of thought and anger put in to it. Many bands strive to build an atmosphere with their sound and videos and Bad Mood have already established one with their debut.
Summary:
Great track. Good balance of darkness and catchiness. As a debut single it works brilliantly, you get a feeling of what the band are about and a good sense of their sound while wanting to hear more from them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reviewer Profile:
Kenn Rushworth is a human male; he can’t find his keys.
Twitter: @attheharbour