This week saw the release of the new Mallory Knox EP Unwired. The five piece Cambridge rock band are back and better than ever with some of the best songs taken from their latest album Wired and compacted into 20 minutes of pop-rock anthems. I have long been searching for a new and fresh rock band to obsess over and I think I might have just found the Holy Grail of good old English rock.
Mikey, Sam, James, Joe and Dave flew onto the scene in 2013 with their debut album Signals which peaked at number 33 in the UK albums chart, featuring some of their most famous tunes such as “Lighthouse” and “Wake Up”, it was clear to see these guys were going to make it big.
Next up was their second album Asymmetry. This is where the band really started to take shape with heartfelt melodies and heavy rock riffs with hits such as “Shout At The Moon”, “Ghost In The Mirror” and “Getaway”. This album was what secured them a place in the coveted Alternative Rock scene.
They have since signed with Sony Music and have just completed their UK ‘Wired’ tour (I saw them play in Birmingham and it was probably the best live performance I have ever experienced) and have recently toured with Enter Shikari in Germany.
Their new EP Unwired flows perfectly through back-to-back bangers, starting strong with the awesome “Giving It Up“. BBC Radio 1 has mocked this song for sounding like the theme tune to Casualty but in my opinion, it is daring and experimental and one of the best songs released in 2017 so far.
It starts with the soft tones of singer Mikey and is backed by a clean riff, which then leads into beautiful guitar acoustics, which gives the song a sort eccentric country feel to it. This song has the capacity to leave you feeling rebellious and empowered.
There is a slight change of pace with track two “California” which feels a bit more pop or mainstream as opposed to its predecessor. The song tells a story of falling in love, with lyrics such as “She’s the angel on my shoulder, I found my heart in California“.
I really like the fact that he could be talking about falling in love with a girl or the state itself. The beauty is you make your own conclusion. Featuring lovely harmonies and back-up vocals from bassist Sam and a dreamy electric guitar riff with just the right amount of reverb over the acoustic guitar. “California” will leave a happy and content feeling with you.
Next up is “Saviour” which starts with a single ringing guitar note and a steady, cool bass line reminiscent of ‘The Cure.’ Once again it features subtle but perfect guitar riffs, which fit perfectly with the bass line and the addictive beat of the drums.
The song tackles the subject of religion and has a very pessimistic view, “There is no God coming to save us all” which is quite a juxtapose to the laid back feel to the song. The highlight for me is two and a half minutes in, with a heavy wailing guitar riff, which is accompanied by heartfelt vocals and rings out in your head.
“Better Off Without You” features next, this song also tackles tricky subjects such as depression, with talk of anti-depressants “My citalopram will pull me through“. The song revolves mostly around a palm muted acoustic guitar with soft riffs and steady drum beats. The vocals are particularly strong in this song and the layering of vocals from Mikey and Sam is genius. “Better Off Without You” leaves you feeling relaxed and chilled.
We come to a close with “Wired” which is in my opinion has one of the most Hauntingly beautiful guitar riffs I’ve heard. The song has heavy reverb and echoes leaving each note implanted in your head. The drums are particularly interesting and Dave makes good use of the full kit with regular hits on the high hats and snares making a beat to tap your feet to. The highlight of this song is the chorus when all the best elements of each instrument come together to make a gorgeous symphony.
In conclusion, this EP is an easy listening masterpiece covering a variety of genres in each song such as pop, rock and acoustic. My personal favourite would have to be “Better Off Without You” but the whole EP is a delight and a treat to listen to. I would definitely recommend listening to Mallory Knox and from what I can see they only seem to be getting stronger with each album.
Purchase Mallory Knox Unwired EP on iTunes here.
Words by Georgia Hampson
