Live Review
Walk Off The Earth – R.E.V.O
Oh goodness Walk Off The Earth. We might be a bit late to the game but you’re ticking all of our boxes here at Glasswerk HQ, we can’t put it any simpler than that. New album R.E.V.O is an incredibly satisfying romp through a myriad of contemporary genres that emulates some of the best pop from the last decade and reworks it into a joyous bundle of energetic, fun, chart-bothering tracks that should propel WOTE to global superstardom, not that they’re that far off at the moment.
Together for a surprisingly long seven years and only recently finding themselves thrust into the limelight with their five-person-one-guitar cover of Gotye hit ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’, the musicianship and song crafting on display throughout the release are clearly the work of experienced and serious performers, and whilst the cover is present on the album it actually turns out to be one of the weaker moments. It works as a bit of fun and followers of the band will no doubt be expecting it, but WOTE actually shine brightest when experimenting with their own sound and have proven themselves to be quite the songwriters.
There’s so much talent on display, in fact, that WOTE are completely at ease on a tour de force of modern music, blending smooth pop melodies with future reggae and world rhythms on ‘Summer Vibe’ or experimenting with a Hispanic take on Mumford and Sons for what looks set to be a live favourite in the shape of ‘Speeches’. Indeed, the two bands share a lot of common ground, not least in their multi-instrumentalism and return to a grass roots style of playing and writing that keeps one foot firmly planted in the present. The lazy swagger of hip hop infused ‘Sometimes’ has one of the most distinctive chorus melodies in recent memory and quickly cements itself as an immediate ear-worm that Justin Timberlake is probably wishing he could have nabbed for his latest effort, whilst pop gem ‘Shake’ evokes the carefree golden age of un-self-consciousness that spawned the kind of one hit wonders that made household names of Hanson and Natalie Imbruglia (no bad thing).
In essence, Walk Off The Earth are that rarest of things – a truly musically gifted pop band. There’s no shame here about exploiting major scales, big sing-a-long choruses and catchy hooks; quite the opposite, all underpinned by an authenticity and respect that comes from their obvious ability. The most satisfying thing about R.E.V.O is that at every fork in the musical-road you come to, it somehow magically feels you’re taking the one you wanted it to every single time, making this album a pleasure to wander through either in lonely contemplation or as the soundtrack to a long, laughter-filled summer. Hopefully you’ll have a bit of space around that beach fire for some new friends, because WOTE just burst into your life and they’re not going anywhere anytime soon.
Venue: R.E.V.O
Support Band: Sony