Fresh back from tour with the fantastic Lakes and I Feel Fine, the Cardiff/London hybrid are gearing up for the world to hear their innermost feelings documented on a permanent basis. Sleep Outside fuse a multitude of influences from the likes of The Get Up Kids to Jimmy Eat World to deliver their own unique timestamp of mid-western tinged emo.
With both lead singles coming in hard, it’s clear that the bands debut EP is going to be a no holds barred experience. This Won’t Ever Last acts as a bridge from early wave emo bands such as The Promise Ring to the modern day fans of melancholy sadness – and both ‘Skeleton’ and ‘Spent’ come out swinging. For a band in their infancy, it’s refreshing to see that they’ve instantly found their footing and directed their focus into emphasising their individual talents.
When touching on the collective’s first of the two single’s ‘Skeleton’, vocalist Adam Holborn describes the tracks narrative as one that ‘touches on the pressures felt, while growing up, to drink more than you want to or party harder than you can maybe cope with. This isn’t a song condemning partying or enjoying your youth, but more a reassurance that you can live life at your own pace.’
It’s a challenge that more of us can relate to than we would necessarily care to admit – and as you wrap yourself around the lyrical content, you’ll find some powerful memories invoking a mixture of fond nostalgia alongside some out and out gloom. The lyrics ‘All your friends are high again’ resonates fondly, but at the same time leaves a bitter taste as you find yourself thinking back to watching the sun rise from a friend’s cigarette infused sofa. ‘Coffee & Tears’ as an opener immediately lays the band’s cards on the table, and ‘Grow Up’ presents as a beautiful closure. The raw acoustic tone throughout only makes the lyrical content more captivating.
Whilst maybe not the most ambitious tracks in terms of structure, the songwriting is still some quality work, and the lyrics sitting so central in the mix is definitely a strong highlight. As a debut This Won’t Ever Last is a strong contender for any lovers of emo, and Sleep Outside are certainly looking like ones to watch.