Here There Anywhere Like You: Me Like

            This is a review of the Here There Anywhere Like You EP (2013) by Newglads, and the ninth review here on Track-By-Track.

            This will probably be as close to pop-rock as I get with this blog.  That being said, there are enough alt-rock sounds in Here There Anywhere Like You to fit the style I’m going for with Track-By-Track.  Newglads is an Italian band formed in 2012 by Matteo Fallica (the guitarist and singer) and Christiano Belluzzo (the producer and main songwriter).  Their sound is definitely influenced by Oasis, though there are also some similarities with Radiohead, R.E.M., and Our Lady Peace, in this EP.
            This is an EP to listen to in high-quality, because it’s mastered and mixed so well (audiophile talking here), as well as performed expertly.  The songs are structured more like straight-up rock, but at times, different genres of alt-rock show themselves in the way these classic structures are played.  It’s also completely sung in English, which is interesting for a band not from a mainly English country.  A lot of times, it reminds me of the upbeat songs I grew up listening to, and the lyrical hooks and some of the melodies will stick in the brain like honey on toast.
            Here’s my TBT:

            The EP starts with “All in a Row”, which sounds a bit like like early R.E.M. and Radiohead.  Though it’s not very alternative in the Sonic Youth sense, the style is deceptive.  It’s well-produced and written, and layers of guitar bring that old-school alt-rock dimension to it.  There’s even a slide guitar solo; the solo being a long-forgotten art in modern rock, and begging to be brought back from purely metal circles.  Drums are slightly indie, but eqs make it go beyond the genre.  I must point out that listening to the different layers on this and every track on the EP is amazing at high headphone levels.  I had to resist the urge to crank it up to ear-damaging decibles.

            “Morning Lies” reminds me of a kind of pop-rock, especially the vocals, though the textured guitars again bring layers of alt-influence to the track.  There are obvious Oasis influences on this, but not to a fault.  Fast sharp drums drive the track, and bass plays support well.  Though the vocals are a bit processed-sounding, there are some great harmonies.  The end brings harmony to a climax, and everything mixes well into a slightly nostalgic modernistic ending.

            “Winding Road” comes next, and though the opening guitar is a bit irksome in the beginning, the heavily-delay-effected guitar bits more than make up for it.  The chorus is really well-done, and the vocals and guitars mix well.  The bass is nearly imperceptible (on my headphones), but played well.  I feel like this track could work better with less Oasis, and more of the alt-rock influences some of it clearly displays, though it’s still a good song nonetheless.

            “Stand Till You Fall” is the fourth track.  Once again, definite Oasis influence, especially on the guitars.  Drums and percussion work well in the track, though this might be a case of too much guitar.  I know this sounds like an odd description for part of a rock track, but the amount of guitar tracks at times are kind of like having so many great colours in a painting that the overall picture is detracted from.  Fortunately, good bass, an Oasis-style solo, and some great vocal melodies and hooks make it very enjoyable.

            “Little Dreams” is slower, and has a softer sound.  Hooks galore, like much of the EP, and a great guitar solo drenched in warm reverb.  The harmonies are great, and the guitars really drive the track.  There are some acoustics buried in the track, and great bass and drums.  The lyrics are surprisingly good, and sometimes the harmonies remind me of “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” by R.E.M.

            “Unpredictable” is another Oasis-style track.  The chorus is the best part, with great harmony and softly overdriven guitars.  Bass feels just right in the mix as well.  The drums are perfectly equalized to be both addictive and not overpowering, and the vocals’ processed-sound actually enhances this one.  It’s a bit like Our Lady Peace, especially their Healthy in Paranoid Times album.  This might be the hit on the EP, because although I wasn’t totally sold in the beginning, by the time the second chorus came, I was happily completely immersed in it, and didn’t want it to end.  The levels are perfect, and instruments cut out just at the right times, to make it addictive to the extreme.

            “Whenever It Rains” is the last track on the EP.  Wonderfully, shoegaze starts the track, and this is the most alternative one on Here There Anywhere Like You.  It really sums up the power of rock, especially for fans of Radiohead’s “Blow Out” (like myself).  Lyrics are good, and drums are classic, in the 90s real-drums sense.  The last line “I’m going out in style” is exactly what this mainly shoegaze track does by ending the EP.

            Overall, this is a very enjoyable EP.  Though occasionally a little heavy on the pop-rock, it’s a strong release, and well-produced, performed, and written.  You can get Here There Anywhere Like You, and the most recent songs by Newglads in CD-quality at http://newglads.bandcamp.com, for pay-what-you-want prices.  Get out your Lennon-style glasses; here comes some new masters of melody.