Birmingham’s Victory Lane examine boredom, heartache and friendship on new EP ‘Louder Than Words’, with their candid songwriting and willingness to experiment with new sounds resulting in an impressive debut.
‘Rainy Day’ combines All Time Low’s radio-ready sound with the scrappy pop-punk persona of Neck Deep. As frontman Dan Lamb trades vocal lines and Josh Wakelam batters the drums, this track will ring true for anyone struggling to escape a rut: “I cling on to the good memories so I can feel better about my wasting all my time”.
Within seconds of ‘Make It Right’ beginning, Lamb dives in with that distinctive punk sneer. The track’s memorable chorus benefits from pleasing vocal harmonies and the genre’s ubiquitous “Woah-ohs”..
Surprisingly, the weakest track is pop-rock ballad ‘Who We Are’. It’d be easier to appreciate the symbolism behind the track without clichéd lyrics like “We see it written in the stars, We feel it in the air we breathe”. While the triumphant energy of the chorus and the bright, glassy guitar solo create good moments, it’s fairly disappointing overall.
Victory Lane save the best ‘til last with ‘Said And Done’, a defiant guide to leaving an unhealthy relationship. Lamb reveals its varied dynamics were intentional, mimicking the ‘rollercoaster’ of breakups – the laid back guitar groove in the first verse quickly dissipates, replaced with rapid drumming and exasperated lyrics. Paired with a catchy chorus and good vocal harmonies, the five-piece would be well-advised to cultivate more of this on future releases.
‘Louder Than Words’ is an EP Victory Lane can be proud of. While rough edges need to be ironed out, drawing on influences like Mayday Parade or The Story So Far, they show the potential to become a great pop-punk band. If they remain adventurous songwriters, their next record could be the one to break them.
3/5
‘Louder Than Words’ EP by Victory Lane is out now on Speaking Tongues.
Victory Lane links: Facebook|Twitter
Words by Clare O’Shea (@Clare_OShea)
