The Rising - Olympus/ I Want You ( I Need You)

The Rising are an incredibly versatile 7-piece band from Southampton; and they recently released a double A-Side single with the songs; 'Olympus' / 'I Want You ( I Need You)' on it. The double A-Side was released on the 4th of November 2016.

The first track is called 'Olympus' and it opens with a very Britpop vibe; however you can also hear hints of The Kinks and The Beatles as it simultaneously brings out a very 60's vibe; especially when the backing vocals begin to kick in. Tommy Overington on lead vocals has a very distinctive voice and he uses it to his advantage as he passionately sings the closing line of;

"And now I do believe.."

The only thing about this song is that some of it is very lyrically inapt; and for a song with a length of almost six minutes you want six minutes of pure genius. On the other hand all of the instruments are on point from start to finish and the tension built throughout the track really solidifies it.

The last song 'I Want You (I Need You)' is my favourite of the two. This is a real rock'n'roll tune; it's jam-packed with heavy guitars, head banging drums, tension built instrumentals and catchy chorus'. There's a lot of symbolism created within this song which is correlated to freedom which I like because the title contradicts the meaning of the song as it creates a realisation between a need and want - and when you distinguish the difference you're free. There are symbolisms to the clouds, rainbows and the ocean which refers to infinity and also birds which are a key sign of freedom. Overington goes on to sing this line within the last verse which implies that somebody is holding him back and preventing him from being freed;

"Please release me, free me from these chains."

I particularly liked the keyboard dominated solo making the track a bit techno and futuristic as it switches the rock'n'roll track up a bit. Also; not only does this song have deeper intensions than the surface level; it has a proper head banging catchy chorus of;

"Cus I want you and I need you. Just wanna touch you, just wanna feel you."

In conclusion the Double A-Side has impressed me; especially the last track - resulting in me buying their 7" record! This is a band to watch out for and I hope to see them progress throughout their career;  definitely worth a listen f you haven't already.

You can listen to 'Olympus' here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9rjJNh8Kwc
You can listen to 'I Want You ( I Need You)' here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mgj2DIpY4I
You can buy their 7" Double A-Side here: http://shop.detourrecords.co.uk/epages/es785745.mobile/en_GB/?ObjectPath=%2FShops%2Fes785745%2FProducts%2FRISOLY-7&Locale=en_GB

 

Kings Of Leon - Reverend (Single Review)

Kings Of Leon are a four-piece family rock band from the US; notoriously known for their songs 'Use Somebody', 'Supersoaker' and the unforgettable 'Sex Is On Fire'. After releasing the three teaser tracks; 'Waste A Moment', 'Around The World' and title track 'WALLS' back in September- they released 'Reverend' on October 6th 2016, just eight days before the release of the their 7th studio album 'WALLS'.

The intro is very melancholy and reminds me of the soundtrack for the film Submarine, which was written and performed by Alex Turner. However when Jared Followill joins in with the bass it brings the whole vibe back around and you can instantly hear Kings Of Leon's recognisable sound. To solidate their sound even further as the vocals enter, lead singer Caleb Followill's distinctive voice allows your ears to detect the artist and you just know that it is Kings Of Leon.

On the chorus you here a clash of instruments in which Nathan Followill on the drums predominantly stands out; building up tension on the chorus as Caleb goes on to passionately sing;

"Just like a reverend, like a reverend on the radio. Your heart will never say so, your heart will never let you go."

The second chorus significantly stood out for me; and this one line particularly did;

"The truth in the skies from the billowing eyes isn't working on me. Don't you think you gotta give me, give me something I want. Give me something, something I need."

The word billowing can me mean either the serge of the sea, which could imply crying; or swelling of the eyes which then again could indicate crying. Therefore the message I receive from the second half  of the second verse is that no matter how much somebody cries to/for him and attempts to tell him the truth that is not what he wants. He wants something real, something more than words. As the chorus gets repeated after this verse; and the song begins to fade out Matthew Followill on lead guitar concludes the song by recreating the intro which fades the song out nicely.

In conclusion this track is incredibly catchy due to the repetitiveness of the chorus; and the use of the instruments throughout, created a solid rhythm and recognisable texture which allows you to sing along without even having to know the lyrics. On the other hand the lyrics are a lot more deeper than you think which is always good to notice within a song; their motive is sincere. Their standards really have not dropped throughout their career and it is ever so refreshing to see. The rest of the album is something that my ears are intrigued to listen to now! I would most definitely recommend this track; and if you like it why not broaden your horizons and listen to the album yourself? Expectations, exceeded.

10/10