Label: Big Scary Monsters
Released: 26th November 2021
Pop-punk will never die. As long as there are emotional teenagers, the world will need bands like Orchards to stir up all those delicate feelings.
They can make even the most isolated youngsters know that they’re part of something bigger, a community of music-obsessed weirdos who are frankly the very best of people.
The Brighton band speak out about their trust issues off the back of 2020 and everything that came with it, hence the title. ‘Trust Issues’ sees them pack in ginormous choruses, relentless guitar riffs and enough power to light a small village.
Somehow Lucy Evers’ voice manages to capture both the happy and angry elements in unison as that emotional turmoil rips through the heart of the sound and results in the most beautiful of flourishes.
As has become their signature style, the math-rock riffs and saccharine sweet harmonies combine perfectly – particularly in the closing stages of ‘Wrong Shoes’ – to tug those heartstrings so firmly it’ll knock everything right out of step.
‘Drive Me Home’ sees Lucy’s lyrics linger on feelings for a former flame, using a long journey to process all the emotions in a way that anyone who has had to travel following the end of a relationship will instantly recognise.
Trust feels harder to find now than ever, but we’ll always be able to rely on charged up, anti-establishment music like this to keep marching on.
