Rarely does a debut album contain such masterful lyrical, musical, and productional elements, but it makes sense when the creator is certainly not a debut artist. Bradley Simpson, lead singer of British pop band, The Vamps, has been creating music consistently for over 10 years and just recently was touring on the band’s anticipated 10th Anniversary Tour. Their concerts hold the record for most consecutive headlining shows at the famed Britain The O2 arena, but the lead singer seems to have taken a new, more personal direction following his milestone tour with his new solo debut indie album “Always Like This.”
Like following crumbs to a giant cookie, I eagerly ate up every track gradually released in anticipation for the full EP which was to be released October 4. The first track is entitled “Cry At The Moon,” and as I pressed play, giddy with excitement, I had no idea what to expect. The transition from pop superstar to indie rock artist is a pretty outlandish metamorphosis, and I had my doubts.
It starts off slow, with the vocals having a murmuring, out-of-breath quality and slow acoustic guitar strumming that I shrugged my shoulders at. Analyzing the lyrics, I was impressed with the gravity of certain lines. “A couple stone-cold killers / I got behind those eyes / that’s where I’m always gonna see ya / that’s where time goes to die” hit me pretty hard, and became more relevant as the topic of overthinking and lost love came front and center.
Then, like a train arriving full force, the music kicked up after the first verse in a chaotic frenzy of drums, electric guitar, and “whoops” before settling into a rhythmic and gritty tune that perfectly complemented the soulful and forceful vocals. The song established an earthy tone with its lyrics and vocals while contrasting with the metallic sounding musical components, resulting in an underground, rustic sort of atmosphere.
The second release arrived shortly after as an acoustic version that I am absolutely in love with. It is by far my favorite track for its simplistic descending chords that arrive in perfect tempo with the crooning, almost desperate vocals. It has a very southwestern quality to it. Another detail I really enjoyed is how both tracks devolve into wild, almost animalistic imagery. Going from modern phrases like “lip filler” and “hope dope dealer” to the swelling chords accompanied by nature-centered imagery like “do you lay in the pines” and “that sunset over you.”
The next song, “Picasso,” was like listening to the singer open a raw wound and put it on display in the most beautiful and clever way. Witty lyrics like, “Where’d you learn to break a heart / Turn the torture into art / Who the hell d’you think you are? Picasso?” and “January morning fights and april rendezvous” establish a distinct attitude, one of both outrage and frustration which is a unique contrast to the resigned-sounding vocals. Lyrically, “Picasso” had an immense amount of personality. The music itself has a lot of echoing combined with electronic special effects reminiscent of the Disco era. This song sounds more like it was recorded in a giant warehouse due to the guitar feedback and made me feel like something small in a large space, tying into the lyrics’ plot.
The following track, “Daisies,” is a stark contrast to the darker releases prior. With clear influences from upbeat indie artists like Dayglow and The Wallows, “Daisies” set itself apart with bouncy guitar melodies, a constant tempo, and juxtaposition of folksy guitar elements with synth. While the lyrics showcased in this song are less complex, the upbeat and dopamine-inducing melody makes this track worthwhile. Listening to this, one can just imagine fairy lights strung overhead, grass beneath their feet, and the infectious urge to dance.
The title track, “Always Like This,” once again showcases the varying realms artist Bradley Simpson flaunts throughout his tracks. This song in particular feels the most unpolished and has a more apparent rock influence. Similar to “Cry At The Moon,” it starts with musical discord before gradually converging to form a distinctly intense tempo. This song is entirely different from the others in that the vocals fell to the back, almost indiscernible, allowing the tight drum solos and oscillating guitar shredding to take front stage. The pulsing rhythm makes the listener feel like they’re speeding down a highway at 200 miles an hour. The lyrics and vocals are far less confrontational, showcasing lyrics like “Oh, I wondеr at night where she goеs / Sit and pull petals off of a rose / Just another, she sunk like a stone / I just hope, it ain’t always like this” just delicately rising above the instrumentation. The contemplative and sensitive lyrics describing the helpless, drowning feeling an individual experiences when they are the loyal one in an uneven relationship is accentuated by the instrumentation drowning out the vocals.
The wide range of musical skill demonstrated throughout this EP is phenomenal. While there isn’t consistent style throughout all the tracks, there is consistent quality. The tracks feel strong enough to stand on their own, with each having a unique voice that kept me engaged throughout. The strong coordination of vocals and instrumentation, paired with the tracks’ atmospheric qualities, made it a memorable listen. Not only was it stirring to hear, but I could clearly recognize the influence of other great indie/rock artists like Dayglow, The Wallows, Queens of the Stone Age and Foo Fighters. I eagerly await the full album’s release and can’t wait to see what indie styles Bradley Simpson explores next.
