FEATURE:
Spotlight
The Mysterines
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IN this week’s Spotlight…
I am featuring a Liverpool band who I have heard a lot of great things about – the superb crew of The Mysterines. Their latest cut, Love’s Not Enough, has been playing on BBC Radio 6 Music, and it is one of the year’s most original and standout tracks. Led by the brilliant guitarist and singer Lia Metcalfe, the band have crafted an incredible sound. I am going to source from a few interviews from this/last year and, whilst Metcalfe remains at the centre, there have been additions to the band. I have been listening back to the band’s E.P. from last year, Take Control. It is a fabulous thing, and it has gained some really positive reviews. Here is what Underscore Part 3 had to say:
“Previous single and track three on the EP Gasoline features similar guitar work to Take Control, a vocal pattern clearly influenced by Bob Dylan’s Subterranean Homesick Blues and just enough angst in lead chorus line “I just love to hate you” to steer clear of being vapid; Gasoline is the anthem The Mysterines weren’t ready to write when they wrote debut single Hormone.
Finishing the EP with Bet Your Pretty Face it has all the hallmarks of garage rock anthem Hormone; separating the two on the EP was an obvious choice. Lia channels anger at “pretty face[s having] doors” opened for them in what appears to be a metaphorical comment which most will relate to; another sure singalong to briefly release the listeners anger at their co-worker they’re overlooked to for promotions. In some ways could Bet Your Pretty Face feels ironic with the band having been paired up with Steve Lamacq, James Skelly and Alan Moulder before even releasing a single, whatever their relationships are with high level industry professionals their ability to craft anthemic rock is impossible to argue with.
“The Mysterines have one goal and that is to produce punchy rock to dance to like nobodies watching and sing along to like nobodies listening; achievement unlocked!”
The Take Control EP could have been released as a knee jerk reaction to the band being offered the guest spot on Royal Blood’s tour or it could have been a way to collate this first stage of the band, whatever its motives are it’s undeniable that The Mysterines have one goal and that is to produce punchy rock to dance to like nobodies watching and sing along to like nobodies listening; achievement unlocked!”.
I will end by seeing where the band might head this year but, in light of the current situation, they may not be touring until a lot later in the year. It is hard to pin down their sound in terms of obvious influences (which is good), but they have evolved since their formation and earliest recordings. I have been looking at some interviews the band provided. The first, from Fred Perry saw, Lia, Chrissy and George discuss a bit of their musical tastes:
“Name, where are you from?
Lia, Chrissy and George from Wirral. Merseyside.
The first track you played on repeat?
George: 'Mr Blue Sky' by ELO.
Chrissy: 'Thugs' by Notorious B.I.G.
Lia: 'Love Man' by Otis Redding.
A song you wished you had written?
Lia: 'It Ain’t Me Babe' by Bob Dylan.
Chrissy: 'Bloody Mother F*cking Arsehole' by Martha Wainwright.
George: 'Valley of Tears' by Buddy Holly”.
I am going to, as I said, bob to and fro regarding timeline, as there have been exciting changes in the ranks. At the centre, though, is this wonderful bond and, in my opinion, some of the best music around. I think the band are growing stronger, and it will be exciting to see whether there is an album arriving down the tracks. Whilst we have an impression of where The Mysterines are heading and what they are about right now, where did it all start? Lia Metcalfe spoke with This Feeling last year about how the band got started – and she revealed a few of her influences:
“What inspired you to start a band?
Lia: Well I’ve been playing music for as long as I can remember, I started learning guitar when I was about 8/9 to accompany short poems I used to write as a kid and then when I was about 14 I got really consumed by it all and realised this is what I want to do with my life , I couldn’t wait to fuck school off to do it so from that I formed early days Mysterines. I guess nothing inspired me to do it, it was just natural to me, I never really looked at a band who I loved and thought I want to do that or be like them, I just did it anyway...but I suppose as I did really fucking hate school that fundamentally sparked the beginning of the band, I just wanted something else to do haha.
Influences...
Lia: Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Paul Simon, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Lauryn Hill, PJ Harvey, Patsy Cline.... I have many and they change all the time”.
I have seen a lot of features from this year that guide us to the artists we need to watch out for. What I am seeing is a load of great acts from the North West being spotlighted. I think there has always been this focus on London as the hub and go-to city for great music. As The Mysterines prove, Liverpool is a hotspot for musical talent. That said, I think there is still some reservation from some regarding Liverpool and music from there. Metcalfe spoke with NME recently, and talked about Liverpool; Metcalfe’s songwriting style/possible influences were also explored:
“This place used to be quite stand-offish, but I think that was because we were classed as a Liverpool band,” singer Lia Metcalfe tells NME hours before stage time. We’ve swung by Parr Street Studios in the city’s Ropewalks district – just around the corner from the venue for a chat about all things Mysterines. It’s here at this studio that bands like Coldplay, Pulp and Blossoms recorded some of their biggest songs, while bands like The Mysterines are starting off their recording career in good care.
“Initially it was quite hard to gain fans in Liverpool. It definitely shocked me,” Lia says of the muted response. “At that point we realised that people always supporting bands – especially from a city with such cultural history – has maybe died out. I didn’t want to give up because we were smashing it in other parts of the country as well…
Lia’s songwriting, meanwhile, is a modern twist of the anti-anthems crafted by Nick Cave and PJ Harvey, while she admires Billie Eilish’s and Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker and their razor-sharp observations. She’s recently signed a publishing deal with Domino Records, home to artists like Big Thief, (Sandy) Alex G and Arctic Monkeys. It’s just the start, too. Their current live set, which features blues-rock stomper ‘I Win Every Time’, showcases that there’s even more where those come from”.
It is an exciting time for The Mysterines, and I think they will continue to expand and evolve as time goes on. I think the band will be able to gig in the autumn; follow them on social media (links are at the bottom) and you can keep a track of their gig dates here. I love The Mysterines’ fresh and stunning sound; it is just what we all need right now. I want to finish off with another interview from this year, where Lia Metcalfe discusses the band’s line-up change and, sadly, a few gigs and festivals that will have been rescheduled – a little bit of a dent in the band’s momentum and incredible year so far:
“How did the band form, you've recently had a line-up change haven't you?
I met George (bass) when we were both about 13, and we just started practising in the front room of my house with all my very, very early songs. None of them were any good at all, so I'm not sure what made him stick with me haha. The line up in the band has always been mainly George and me, but yes, recently we've brought in Callum (guitar) and Paul (drums) - the more the merrier, as they say.
What's been the highlight of your time with The Mysterines so far?
I think for me personally it's probably selling out our headline tour - I really didn't expect that, and it's good to see people actually like the music I'm writing, strong indication that we must be doing something right.
Are you looking forward to your new tour? Is there anywhere you're especially keen to play?
We're all really excited for the tour; it's definitely gonna be the best tour we've done. I'm especially looking forward to the London show at The Dome - we initially had booked The Lexington, and that was the first date to sell out, so we upgraded the venue to The Dome - we were all buzzing when that happened.
What about festivals, you've loads coming up, right?
Yes, I can't wait for festival season. Neighbourhood Festival will be brilliant, can't wait to watch Sam Fender especially”.
I know The Mysterines will be back in the touring swing as much as possible very soon but, until then, support their music online and throw some love their way. There is no stopping the terrific The Mysterines. Do be sure to investigate and follow…
ONE of the country’s best rising bands.
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