Tag Archives: Oliver Southgate

HEAVY LUNGS: Measure.

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Behold! The most astonishing EP from a band from Bristol that you will hear all year! Heavy Lungs have released today, Measure; a 5 track EP with songs to completely shatter your eardrums in the most pleasing way imaginable.

We all know that Danny Nedelko is one of the most charismatic front-men around, and that Heavy Lungs are just one of the most exciting bands around. But what have they done with Measure? How exciting is it? How loud is it? How does it feel to listen to this work of art? Well, I will do my best to ramble gently about this glorious masterpiece.

Ready?

Measure opens with Half Full- it has this exceptionally haunting feel to it. Danny’s voice has this trembling tone to it. You can hear every emotion possible in this, and it just makes you become so enthralled by it. You want to scream along with him, but you can’t. You cannot mimic such a voice. This morning I blasted out Self Worth a LOT. I love how it instantly smacks you in the face. Self worth as a concept is criminally underrated, and to hear a song like this just makes you sort of keep yourself in check. You know things are shit, but somehow you’ll find a way to carry on. I have no idea how I get out of bed most days, but songs like this show the ugly and good side of having emotions. I love this song SO much, and it is definitely got the strongest sound both musically and vocally. If you didn’t know where to start with Heavy Lungs- play this one really loud. You’ll get it. Keep on playing it. Let it hit you in the gut. Let the brutal honesty make you feel sick because you can relate so much. There’s so much power in this song, and even more power in this band. They’re just the best.

T.O.T.B is another face-smacker. Sometimes you just need something to hit you and wake you up. I was playing this at 7am this morning on the way to work, and it really woke me up. It’s such a big record- even if it is only 5 songs. But these 5 songs are the most important songs you’re going to hear all year. This year we’ve had Fontaines D.C. and The Murder Capital give us the most vulnerable and heaviest records- you can definitely put Measure there. It’s everything you’d want from your favourite band. I had a ticket to see their last Manchester show, but I had to bail last minute because my mind decided it was time for a panic attack. I’m trying to fight them off and go to gigs, it’s tough but these things happen. You can’t beat yourself up forever.

 

 

The first single from this EP was (A Bit  of a) Birthday. If like me you’re not big on having attention thrown on you, and your idea of hell is people gawping at you whilst singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to you- then this song will really speak to you. It’s about the waiting for the day to be over so it’s back to normal, the shitty clowns that appear at kids parties, wanting the money instead of the card- it’s got this really snotty Punk sound to it. I love how obnoxious it is- you can imagine some spoilt brat singing this because he just wants everything to be over. I absolutely love it, and the band nail it perfectly. Danny’s vocals on this have so much diversity to it, and I love how he portrays this brilliant bratty attitude on it; the total opposite of him and the band. It’s fucking incredible. The guitar on this is probably my favourite on the EP, Oliver has excelled himself on this one for sure.

What I adore about Measure is that Oliver, Danny, George and James has pushed themselves, and this has caused them to just sound exceptional. Their unified sound just makes you fall in love with them even more on Measure. It is easy to become obsessed with Heavy Lungs- they’ve got everything you could possibly want from a band. The lyrics on this EP to the production is just perfect. George is an absolute monster on the drums and James just brings this soul to the band with his bass-playing. There’s no other band out there quite like them.

Measure is out right now via Balley Records. Buy it and play it until your ears bleed.

HEAVY LUNGS.

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There is probably no more exciting place in this country for music at the moment than Bristol. From Oh, The Guilt to Idles- it’s a place full of brutal and beautiful sounds.

Combining all things rowdy with all things beautiful, we have Heavy Lungs. I should have written about them months ago, but this is worth the wait- trust me.

Heavy Lungs go where others daren’t. Danny’s vocals are raspy, hypnotising and delivered with such force. The urgency in his tone marries up completely with everything else that goes on in the music. The guitar fuels him on. The bass backs up the groove. The drums reinforce the importance of everything that is going on. Danny has the voice of someone who HAS to be heard. Oliver and George egg each other on with who can be the loudest, and it’s nothing short of brilliant. James adds some calmness but don’t be fooled- Heavy Lungs are all about being loud, and are unapologetic about it.

They’ve recently announced a tour for next year. They’re playing up here in Manchester at The Castle. A venue that is sweaty and tiny. A place perfect for them, but they could EASILY sell out a way bigger venue- in time though, they will. That is obvious. Quite simply, they aren’t a band to be ignored. But how on earth could you ignore them. See, some may label them as Post Punk, but they’re just Post everything else. What you listened to before doesn’t even compare. They are just such an enjoyable and important band who leave you constantly wanting more. I’m so excited to see them next year, I have every feeling that their live show is going to be absolutely off the wall and most certainly something to remember. Remember when a lot of people declared they were at THAT Sex Pistols show but clearly weren’t? That’s what’ll happen with this tour, and I’m pretty damn sure that it’ll happen at the Manchester show. It’s so obvious.

The five songs on their EP, Abstract Thoughts are designed to burst your eardrums and make you feel something that no other band has, or will for that matter. They have this fiery rage within their songs that makes you want to break stuff but at the same time, change the fucking world. They are loud, and I can only hope that they get louder with each record. Hell, with each song would be the dream.

What I adore about Heavy Lungs is that they just make you want to catch one of their live shows immediately. You don’t care for where- you just want to be completely engulfed in this heavenly sound. 2019 is going to their year for sure. The tours, the new music we are going to be graced with- they are going to truly leave their mark on next year with their shit-kicking boots.

Heavy Lungs may only be young ruffians to most, but they have so much to offer us all and I cannot wait to see and hear what they do next, and beyond. Some bands just instantly make you feel like you’re listening to something truly special and something you must pay close attention to- it’s plain to see that Heavy Lungs do this.

Get a ticket to the tour next year, and say you were there- and mean it!