Londale – It’s A Different World

Our readers may remember that we’ve covered Londale a few times last year, with a focus on their LP AM/FM and a bit of an in-depth article about the band’s single Let’s Take A Ride. The band has just released a new EP, It’s A Different World. The release works perfectly alongside these previous songs and albums, but it showcases an evolution to Londale that has to be heard to be believed. Few bands are able to make a cogent statement with an extended play, but It’s A Different World can either provide a full introduction to the band or flesh in some of the questions that they still had after the end of AM/FM.

It’s A Different World begins with If We Were Normal, immediately starting with a thoughtful guitar line. An insistent bass riff kicks in next, with the drums starting up soon after. The vocals contribute not only to the lyrical content on If We Were Normal, but to the overall ambiance that the song establishes.  Londale is immediately able to impress with this unique statement. While there are nods to overall genres and approaches, the set of influences that ultimate shape the band’s output here is much less clear. Few artists are able to make something that is completely their own, but this tactic ensures that fans will be on the edges of their seats from the onset of this release.

All There Is will keep listeners on the edges of their seats with a strong opening narrative. The instrumentation hides a bit in the background for the opening section of this single, but gradually increases in volume to be an equal partner for the vox. The ebbing and flowing of the arrangement during All There Is calls back to the rock of The Psychedelic Furs and U2, all while touching upon performers like Live.

Just Not Me begins the second half of It’s A Different World, building upon many of the same musical approaches that dotted the first half of the releases. Londale makes good use of a harder rock style during this third track. At opportune points, the instrumentation reaches up into a fury or impresses with furious guitar riffs, intricate bass lines, and splashy drums. I feel that Just Not Me represents Londale’s best shot for a rock radio rotation add. The track is expansive and touches variously upon performers as wide-reaching as Rush, Jane’s Addiction and Red Wanting Blue.

Tell Me So opens up with little more than a guitar and vocals. The gradual increase in the single’s tempo into something more contemplative and richly emotive keeps fans as invigorated in the extended play as they began it. The tautness of the instrumentation reaches a new high. The dynamic between these vocals with the twinkling guitar line, perfectly punctual bass lines, and martial-styled drumming needs to be dissected through repeat listens. While all of the singles on Londale’s It’s A Different World stand up just fine to repeat plays, Tell Me So is something that we strongly recommend that one strap on a pair of headphones and just focus on each dynamic that is established. The ending of this EP portends some idea of where Londale will ultimately go in the months and the years to follow. The production on It’s A Different World deserves considerable praise. A sound emanates through the entirety of It’s A Different World that is proper, polished, and ultimately timeless. Each element – guitars, drums, and vocals – are able to contribute their own unique sound while adding to the cohesive and coherent entity that this Londale’s latest. The quartet of songs on this EP do more than familiarize listeners with the band, they work equally well on alternative and rock stations. These songs dovetail nicely with the rest of Londale’s discography while showcasing where the band may ultimately go on follow-ups to this release.

Let us know what you think about Londale’s latest. The EP is available on CDBaby, in person, and at other digital song providers. Additional information about Londale can be located at their main domain (linked below) while all of the information one could conceivably want about live show dates, availability of It’s A Different World, and even sample music can be taken from the band’s social media profiles.

Top Tracks: If We Were Normal, Just Not Me

Rating: 9.0/10

Londale – It’s A Different World / 2018 Self Released / 4 Tracks / https://londalemusic.com// https://www.facebook.com/Londalemusic/