Lower Lands are quickly making a name for themselves in the UK alt-rock scene and their second EP, ‘Canvas’, is likely to gain them a number of new fans. They’re Lincolnshire’s answer to bands such as Scholars, Mallory Knox and Deaf Havana, and I Am Mighty Records are releasing it as a free download on June 10th.
The title track opens with a heavy bass line followed by some huge guitar riffs and you hear a lot you instantly like in Lower Lands. Vocalist Benji Inkley rips into tracks with all the swagger and confidence you’d expect from a band on the up too. This is no more evident than on the leading single, ‘Eat The Rich,’ which you can imagine gracing the side stages of a number of festivals this Summer. It’s a good start to the EP but from there it doesn’t kick on and really grab my attention. There’s nothing overly euphoric or catchy in the vocal melodies, and very few moments which made me consider skipping back and listening to again.
‘Line Check’ highlights this point perfectly – the bridge in particular doesn’t change the focus of the track as well as it could. I love to hear bands that really capture the audience and have them belt the tracks back to them, both live and on record, and I don’t hear that on this EP. Perhaps this does a disservice to some of the colossal moments in closing track ‘Parasite’ though.
With solid support slots, great recent press and a chance at opening Download Festival ahead of them – Lower Lands are very much on the right path. This five track EP is a real statement of intent but at this stage they’re not yet the finished article.
3/5
‘Canvas’ EP by Lower Lands is out 10th June on I Am Mighty Records.
Lower Lands links: Facebook|Twitter|Bandcamp
Words by Tom Beck (@HeyMercedes)
