In this edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens, our music team reviews new releases from Willow Bay, Drivelheads, LOCAL LOSER and Firmament...
EP: Willow Bay - Evangeline
Nottingham’s finest folk-trio have unveiled their debut EP, and what a striking first offering it is! Launched to a packed room at The Carousel on 28th February, the seven-track record marks a confident introduction to the band’s warmly crafted sound.
Blending textures of indie-folk with subtle country inflections, Evangeline is rooted in storytelling. Packed with soft guitar riffs, angelic harmonies and nostalgic banjo chords, each track draws from lived experiences, carrying an intimacy that feels both personal and expansive. There’s a theme of love and care in the songwriting where melodies unfold gently and lyrics linger, inviting the listener to find their own reflections within them.
Described by band member Matt as “accumulation of just over a year’s hard work” and “a real labour of love”, the EP captures the spirit of that dedication. At its core, Evangeline is an imprint of human emotion; tender, deeply resonant and unapologetically true to itself. For those seeking a soundtrack to life’s more softer and reflective moments, Willow Bay’s debut offers a musical journey that is well worth taking. @willowbay_uk (Madeline Wood)
Single: Drivelheads - Proxytocin
Photo credit: Fyzz Wallis
Embodying the punk spirit in everything they do, Drivelheads are about as pure an antidote to maximalism as you could hope for; just three members, a few chords and a need to create. Their debut single is a shock of raw energy, punchy and sharp. There’s a definite and welcome sense of a band not overthinking things, which gives the lyrics "People tell me life is like a beach, but my horizon always seems out of my reach" a directness and an emotional clarity that will offer relatability to anyone. The kind of band that will work best live, with amps throwing out their scuzzy, scruffy sound into a roomful of chaos. Which is lucky, as they are playing Billy Bootleggers on 24th March. @drivelheads (Kieran Lister)
Single: Firmament - Cry For The World
Firmament are a five-piece metal band who are beginning to make fans of the genre sit up and take notice. Their latest single (check out their YouTube video), is taken from their recent EP Ashes and Awakenings, and showcases the band’s talent well, with exquisite ethereal vocals mixing with haunting, anthemic, high-powered guitar riffs, reminiscent of the glory days of heavy metal.
Doom-laden guitar chords announce the beginning of what is an apocalyptic song with a cautionary message in the style of early Black Sabbath; in fact the lyrics might even have been written by Geezer Butler, such is their power. Adele’s compelling vocals come custom made for this track, blending magically with a veritable earthquake of screaming guitars and thunderous bass, which does not yield throughout apart from a retrospective pause towards the end, before the guitars return in force to reinforce the theme of the song. @firmamentuk (Claire Spencer)
Single: LOCAL LOSER - LIE / ALONE
On the surface, LIE and its B-side ALONE seem to be worlds apart. The first is a loud, explosive rock ballad. The sharp grittiness of its intro cuts through listeners' ears beautifully, as the fiery lead guitar, booming drums and chaotic distortion transports them to a dark, underground punk show. The lyrics are reflective and deeply real as they capture the artist's struggle between truth and lies. ALONE is its opposite, a quiet, slow acoustic track, which allows every word its moment. LOCAL LOSER’S vocals here are magical, echoey, and wistful; they are miles apart from the raucous energy of those displayed in LIE. And yet both tracks do have something in common: both offer a bold, raw representation of the queer experience, the rage, the frustration, the drive for something different. LOCAL LOSER’S songs have it all. These singles are the artist's record debut, having performed live at Billy Bootleggers earlier this year, but I feel they are already poised to become a one-in-a-million artist. @justalocal.loser (Max Christian)
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