Gemma Cockrell
After meeting and forming in Nottingham, UoN alumni Blondes have now released their debut EP Out The Neighbourhood. Gemma Cockrell reviews.
Of course, Blondes had to include their breakthrough hit Coming Of Age on the project, after it found popularity on TikTok and became the soundtrack to a viral trend. Back then, when they were singing the lyric “Something really could happen”, the band had no idea what was to come. Now, the track fits very nicely on the EP, allowing them to honour the stepping stone that got them to this point whilst also demonstrating how far they have come as a band in such a short time period.
this demonstrates a different and more mature side to Blondes
The previously released tracks Minimum Wage and Street Fight can also be found on the EP. The former of which is perhaps Blondes’ most upbeat indie anthem to date, whilst the latter contrasts to this entirely – a laidback indie tune with smooth, atmospheric vocals.
This demonstrates a different and more mature side to Blondes, with impressive lyricism that tells the story of a singular night as time passes and the early hours of the morning close in. Taking the listener on a journey, this marks a step forward for Blondes in terms of their song-writing.
The EPs next single and title track Out the Neighbourhood was previewed during their Dot to Dot Festival set in Nottingham last month, which I was lucky enough to catch. The track features the lyric “Just take off your T-shirt”, and the band even took the moment during their set to relive their UoN days spent partying at Ocean, asking the crowd to do exactly what the lyric said: take off their T-shirts and swing them in the air. Even though this is not something that many people were prepared for at two o-clock in the afternoon on a Sunday, I imagine this song will go down a treat at a headline show in the evening, especially when they return to Nottingham once again.
Blondes successfully demonstrate many different sides to their sound
This leaves two previously unheard tracks: Low on the Comedown, which is driven by jangly guitars with a summer feel, and Lavender, the slowest paced track on the project. This song is a fitting closer to the EP, with dreamy almost nostalgic guitars and soft vocals. Blondes successfully demonstrate many different sides to their sound across these six tracks, proving their versatility as a band and showing that their fanbase is only going to continue to grow.
Gemma Cockrell
Featured image courtesy of Alex Watkin. Permission to use granted to Impact. No changes were made to this image.
In-article images courtesy of @blondesband via @instagam.com. No changes were made to these images.
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