Plymouth is best known as where the pilgrim fathers set sail for the new world back in the 1600’s. Looking to cement their place in history comes BREATHER. The band only got together in January this year but only a few short months on and we have their debut self-titled EP. BREATHER is comprised of Scott (vocals), Josh (vocals/guitar), Sam (lead guitar), Jack (bass), and Harry (drums). They describe their sound as grunge gaze, which combines two of my favourite genres so I’m quite excited to hit play on this one. Without any further ado, let’s get in amongst it.
The EP opens on frantic riffage of ‘We Know Pt.1’. There is definitely a blurring of the lines between indie pop and shoegaze which is making me smile right away. Great hook in the vocal line supported by some cool textures coming from both guitarists. Drums are on point, always creating interesting patterns and calling the pace throughout. Latterly the bass starts to create a warped sound that creates even more for the ear to enjoy. Solid start,
As we head into ‘We Know Pt.2’ the lads are really showcasing their individual contributions. Guitars soar skyward whilst the tempo comes down to allow space for the song to evolve. The descending chords on the main verse are particularly potent as they thrash out this new melody. Finishing on the high-pitched wails is really neat and wraps up this two parter nicely.
‘Unknown’ brings the pace right down and treads into gazey waters with a cinematic, reverb-soaked backing. What makes this so interesting is the fact that the vocals remain prominent. Whilst the guitars are creating a wall of sound and the drums and bass are keeping a really dynamic time, we get a heartfelt vocal delivery. It’s the Breather calling card and it’s so effective.
Howling feedback welcomes us into the grunge fest that is ’What Are You Saying?’. This is a virile number which taps into that Slow Crush sound whilst also nodding towards Red Hot Chilli Peppers in its bass breakdown section. The backing vocals screaming in the chorus are awesome and bring another level of energy to this EP.
The EP closes out on ‘Wrong’. A more straightforward indie rock number it cuts a more mainstream path than the previous cuts here. That’s no bad thing, it only goes to show the breadth and scope of this band’s influences and also their ambition. Theres a Kings of Leon swagger to that chorus and a directness in the vocal that screams confidence. A fine way to round off a fine EP.
The Breather EP is the sound of a band showing what they can do. It’s variety of styles really keeps you on your toes as you listen. There’s rumblings of a debut album appearing in the new year. For me, I hope they explore their sound in more depth and give us a real treat for the ears,
You can grab a digital copy of the Breather EP over on their Bandcamp page now. If you’re lucky and get to see them live, there is a very limited-edition CD to be grabbed at the merch stall.
You can follow Breather on social media here…
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