For Irish siblings Greywind, 2016 will be a year remembered for the rest of their lives. From humble beginnings in Killarney, to BBC Radio 1 plays, Texas studios and Grammy award winning producers, the O’Sullivans (Steph and Paul) did something unheard of in modern music. Greywind signed to Raw Power Management without a single live show to their name, 6 weeks after their first demo. Shows racked up with support slots for the likes of Thrice and Moose Blood and appearances at festivals. ‘Afterthoughts’ is the culmination of all of that, the debut album from a band with an incredible story.
Unfortunately, there seems to be more that can be said in introduction to Greywind than can be said about ‘Afterthoughts’. Let’s clear things up, there is clearly talent here. The songs are well written and Steph’s vocals are exceptional with a very impressive range. At points ‘Afterthoughts’ sounds incredible. The single of the same name highlights why the interest was massive in Greywind’s baby days but there is still something missing.
The album smacks of a band that have not been allowed to grow naturally. There has been little studio experience beforehand, which hasn’t allowed the duo to develop the songs on offer. The ideas are there, no doubt about that, however it’s the feeling that this is not an organic band that resides overall. Songs like ‘Desolate’ and ‘Forest Ablaze’ show promise and with nurture and experience Greywind could be onto something.
‘Afterthoughts’ risks becoming a death sentence if the right steps aren’t taken. There is a definite place for Greywind but a more experienced version of the band may have an easier time finding it. The future is bright and, with big tour plans for 2017, the next release could be an impressive offering from a band who have found their feet, rather than a debut that seems as though Greywind are trying to run before they can walk.
1.5/5
‘Afterthoughts’ by Greywind is released on 27th January on Spinefarm Records.
Greywind links: Website|Facebook|Twitter|Instagram|YouTube
Words by Jay Harrison (@Just_Jay_89)
