Music Review // Pylo – The Woman E.P.
Falling in love with Pylo
doesn't take much effort, with debut single Enemies released in June 2013 truly
grabbing you firmly by the ears and demanding your attention. With the upcoming
release of their next EP ‘The Woman’, they are back for seconds.
Forming early in 2012 after
their previous projects came to a close, the rock five piece from Bath are
rising fast, and that's not to say they didn't start strong. Winning Venue's
Band of the Week award in mid-2013, their debut gig selling out lightning fast,
and attracting the attention of some potent industry heavies all the signs were
pointing to a bright future in Pylo's cards.
Pylo wear their influences
proudly from Pink Floyd to Kings of Leon without suffering a sense of fanboy
simulation, but rather a talented and flattering display of how their
influences are ever-shaping the band's unique sound.
As we dive into the meat
of The Woman, huge vocals, tasty retro keys, large servings of guitar (both
restrained and truly balls-out), all backed by a tight and heavy rhythm section
are on the menu.
Proceedings start with
balladesque Simple Souls, and the
honey-sweet vocal assault of Matt Aldus, carrying with it an effortless weight.
Greeted familiarly with a thick wash of guitars and keys mixed tastefully but
by no means modestly, things start really hotting up. Upon the delivery of
lines such as Simple Souls' “If troubles all you are, and love is all
we have, let it end.” it becomes apparent that we are not wading into
another sickly collection of love-songs-by-numbers, but rather something deeper
and more thoughtful.
With second track Climbing
Through The Sun, we are reunited with sultry, harmonised guitar lines and
heavy keys that are becoming a staple of Pylo's diet. Somewhat unceremoniously
we are dropped headlong into the grand euphoria of the track's chorus,
impassioned and one can only assume loud as hell live. Treated to a tasty
little riff reminiscent of Auerbach of the Black Keys, or even Zeppelin's Page
before the closing chorus, which is complimented by some pretty incredible
female falsetto, Climbing Through The Sun has the hallmarks of a true
festival banger,
Young
is the third track and opens with a distinctly Celtic rock/U2 vibe but manages
not to detract too far from Pylo's refined grit. The narrative constructs a
tale of hindsight and reminiscence of youth that is accessible if all too
familiar for some, closing with the line we have all recited at some stage in
our lives
“I was young, I should
have known better.”
The title track of the EP
is the melancholic closer and opens just-so with a restrained tempo, restrained
chord work and heartstring-tugging harmonica. With a Black Crowes swagger, the
tune drifts by sweetly, delivering the classic rock ballad with authenticity
before dropping us into the chilling swell of the enormous Hammond and guitar
driven closing half. Suitably tongue-in-cheek sexual without lowering its class
with lines like “You gotta love the way she do when she's dancing with the
blues, she goes all the way down.” they hit the Brit-rock nail squarely.
Overall The Woman is
accessible, dynamic and overflowing with attitude. Though not as
balls-to-the-wall as previous offerings the EP is far more delicately balanced,
presenting a conscientious and tasteful collection of track.
Currently residing in a
studio/rehearsal space out in the country, “away from the temptations of the
city.” as Aldus put it, they are busy at work on the EP, which is penned
for release some time in March of 2014 on Naim Edge, with tour dates to follow.
Pylo are hell-bent on
showing the world that classic British rock is still very much alive and are
demonstrating it effortlessly, track after track after track...
Reviewed by Ash Turner.
