Review Summary: Some songs stand out and keep hope alive for the next album
The Orwells came out with their debut album back in 2012.
Its sound mixes together rock riffs and folk sounds, and it alternates banger songs to breathers: in fact some of the songs just sound like they were there to fill an empty space between two good songs.
But meanwhile Suspended, Hallway Homicide and Painted Faces and Long Hair have hardly anything to convey, some songs stand out and give the impression that the follow-up to Remember When can be a quality album, if only The Orwells decide to vary their sound.
Many songs are actually catchy and yet unpredictable, such as "Mallrats", which strongly attacks consumism, whose non-lyrical chorus might become just anthemic; or "Like No One Else" , that invites people to express their personality by saying the opposite (Don't do nothing / like no one else, a double negation); while "Never Ever" , with its melancholy lyrics about wasting time throughout youth and then ending up regretting not having pursued any goal, makes believe that The Orwells have a wide range of sounds and can vary their style without resulting less appealing.
There are many ways to close an album than "Under the Flowers" , a redundand repetition of cymbals and incomprehensible lyrics; some of the songs would sound just better if they weren't that confused, it seems that every member of the band is playing a song of its own, forgetting about harmony.
Last but not least I was let down by the album artwork. I know it's not something that should be considered in a music review, but I think it would've been nice of them to make the album a bit more appealing, including lyrics or information about where the songs have been recorded, or maybe who was their producer.
Don't forget though, this is a debut album, and as a debut album it is fairly above average, so it is likely that the next LP will be more complete, hoping that The Orwells have found their way through the vastity of genres they came in contact with in this album, from Garage rock to Folk.
Songs to listen: Lays at Rest, Mallrats, Never Ever, Like No One Else.
