Twin City have just released their debut EP ‘Are You Still Alive?’, barely a month after the band’s January launch.
This EP is an explosion of irresistible, thrumming, dirty riffs and no-fucks-given vocals. These tracks aren’t lyrical masterpieces, but that’s simply not the point, and by the time you hit the chorus, it’s the last thing you’ll care about.
Bristol-based three-piece Twin City are made up of two Welsh brothers, vocalist and guitarist Louis Ellis and drummer Toby Ellis, plus Conor Feeney on bass. In January, their debut single ‘Shake The Walls’ had plays on BBC Introducing, and this single opens the EP. The track currently has 17,000 views on Youtube, and you can see why audiences are attracted to the track. It opens on a rapid, twangy, bouncy riff, with the same notes being repeated over and over. Then the drums and bass come in, bringing something smoother and more melodic.
The first words you hear set the tone: “Hey you, don’t talk to me.” The vocals are drawn out, drawled almost, and by the time you reach the chorus, you’re sold. Everything in the track resists being pretty, but the song is certainly accomplished. There is variation in the level between the chorus and verse, and momentary lulls where only the low thrum of the bass is audible. It means that the repeating chorus, “We gotta shake the walls” doesn’t get grating, and is just eminently singable. People from Bristol will also enjoy the music video, which essentially functions as a walking tour of the city.
The second track, ‘World at Our Feet’, has serious pop-punk vibes – think New Found Glory’s Radiosurgery era. It’s a little bit cleaner than the first track, and the lyrics themselves are more compelling. As the title would suggest, it’s about taking risks for better chances in life. The vocals are also irresistible, conveying an unmistakable longing for faraway places.
After the almost nostalgic feel of ‘World at Our Feet’, ‘Superstars’ is the perfect track to keep the listener on their toes. The distorted opening quickly descends into heavy guitars and frantic drums, and we’re back to half-shouted and rough vocals. The drums that prelude each chorus quickly get your heart racing, and short breaks afterwards ensure that the heaviness is broken up. The wailing, static-like notes allow the song to connote to be exciting every time.
Answering the EP’s title, the EP ends on ‘Not Dead Yet.’ It starts chaotically, instruments clashing and distorted, and then a punchy, heavy riff comes in, sweeping you into the song. The vocals match the punchiness of the guitar, so rather than being drawled this time, each syllable feels like it is hitting and targeting you personally. There’s a lot to like about this track. There’s a great use of screaming, overlaid on the lyric “They won’t even try,” and the brief guitar solo in the bridge is refreshing in an EP that mostly relies on moshable riffs.
The song ends on an indistinguishable shout. This is a fitting end to an EP that thrives on angry, uplifting, and most of all, loud energy. Best of all, that energy looks set to continue, as the band plan to get back into the studio ASAP.
