Review:'J A W S' 'If It Wasn’t For My Friends, Things Could Be... EP'
- Genre: 'Indie'
- Release Date: '15th September 2023'
Our Rating:
It’s funny how what goes around comes around, and following a brief spell where Ride and Slowfive were lauded in the press, they were mercilessly panelled and kicked into oblivion. Ride carried on for a bit Slowdive didn’t, and strangely, in their absence, appreciation grew and a few years ago the shoegaze renaissance exploded and here we are, with Slowdive just having released their second post-reformation album and a whole new generation of bands creating swirling, immersive mellowed-out psych-hued indie with layers of effects.
BRDRMM have been propelled to stellar heights in no time after a steady start: not so long ago I saw them playing at a 120-capacity pub in York: they’re scheduled to play the 1,200 capacity Leeds Uni Stylus in a few weeks. And fair play, they were absolutely fucking fantastic.
Birmingham’s JAWS look set to follow suite, and this, their first extended release since 2019’s ’The Ceiling’ could really be the one that propels them to the next level. It’s self-released and self-produced by vocalist Conor Schofield, but in collaboration with Brett Shaw (Foals, Florence and the Machine), the extended release was mixed and mastered by Grammy-nominees Mikko Gordon and Robin Schmidt respectively. And let’s face it, the DIY route has served not only BDRMM well, but also the staunchly independent Benefits, and perhaps we’re seeing a shift whereby bands really can graft their way to new heights.
If It Wasn’t For My Friends, Things Could Be Different certainly has the quality. Lead single and opening track ‘Are My Friends Alright’ is a shimmering burst of laid-back mellowness, sunny, summery, but tinged with introspection, and it sets the tone for the chilled vibe which permeates the EP as a whole. The autotune is perhaps not the best choice, but then, I suspect many in a different demographic (i.e. not old bugger, being over 45) may feel differently about this.
‘Get Up’ is built around a thick bass groove and some nicely layered vocals, but again, it drifts by in state of reverby relaxation. If It Wasn’t For My Friends, Things Could Be Different not really about standout tracks as much as a swirl which builds over its duration. That said, ‘maybe I’ll Do The Same Thing Tomorrow’ and single cut ‘Sweat’ and respectively anthemic and driving, meaty, catchy, with the strong closer ‘Top of My Skull’ proving to be the most killer of sign-offs. Yes, these guys clearly have a knack for nagging tunes, and this latest offering has a fair few.
