The Tower, the second single from lovemenot, opens at full blast and makes it clear this won’t be a mild experience. It only escalates from there with things pushing further into the experimental in the mad middle section. Wait for the horns to kick in, it gets intense.
Having been written for an 11-piece ensemble there is plenty going on, but it doesn’t feel overcrowded as the current 5-piece lineup has produced a heavy, catchy, post-hardcore tune.
Eleanor Edwards’ vocals jump in immediately, driving the catchy melodies from the first beat. There are some genuinely big moments – edging into Muse-like territory (so when I say big, I mean big).
The turning point comes in the centrepiece breakdown where the track moves into a looser, jazz-influenced section. The space opens up starting with some smooth, mellow keys and building to a string and horn frenzy. It’s the clearest nod to the 11-piece origin (I’m not going to list them) and the song’s most compelling stretch, before dropping to the core band to close in a mirror of the explosive opening.
A strong mix of post-rock/hardcore and experimentation from the Perth/Boorloo band. Hopefully this isn’t getting trimmed down with a radio edit for the airwaves (I know RTR would never do that!). Keep it coming guys.