The rising UK artist showcases his brash and exciting brand of modern alternative rock on his raucous debut EP
If there is one thing that seems to be a constant in music over the decades it is the enduring and powerful appeal of rock and roll and guitar music. Even when the charts are packed full of other genres and authenticity and rawness seem to fall to the wayside for more manufactured and superficial sounds, there are always hardworking artists on the fringes offering something that feels blistering and real, an antidote to conformity that feels brash and exciting.
Wirral singer-songwriter Shaun Lewis has immediately established himself as one of these artists with the release of his debut EP SL EP 1, a collection of tracks that bursts into life with the swaggering and emphatic ‘Not Your Lover’, an unapologetically raucous release that sees the artist declaring his freedom from being tied down to anything, and demonstrating his sound and powerful appeal thanks to his fuzzy aesthetic and anthemic vocals.
The artist continues to broaden his sonic palette with ‘Atomic Heart’, a track with mesmerising, muscular rhythms and hypnotic guitar riffs that is packed full of modern alternative rock bite and a snarling, almost punk-affected disposition. The track continues to establish this impactful and domineering edge that the artist’s sound has, an aural assault that never lets up throughout its duration.
‘Because of You’ sees the artist slow things down a little bit, veering the closest that he has towards love song territory as he deals with conflicting and confusing emotions as he finds himself falling for somebody and battling with his feelings. The same brash edge still adorns the artist’s sound, but there is a more considered and restrained feel to the chaos, and the track continues to highlight Shaun’s versatility and guile as an artist.
Clocking in at just under two minutes long, ‘To The Beat’ is a punky and explosive anthem that concludes the EP in memorable and chaotic style, frenetic in its pacing, all-encompassing in its wall of sound instrumentation and featuring the same charismatic and charming vocal power that the artist has showcased throughout the four tracks. While flirting with genres like garage rock, alternative, punk and indie, each of the tracks here has a distinctive feel and personality to it that sets them apart from each other, and sees Shaun Lewis announce himself in the UK music scene in decidedly emphatic and devastatingly huge fashion.
