Teen (yes, teen) Brit rockers Noah And The Loners have brought out their debut EP, Desolate Warning, five songs brimming with rage on topics such as politics, mental health and corruption. The other key selling point is the hybridised sound of old and modern Punk. Upon listening, they achieve this goal…only a bit too well.
We kick off with the first and lead single, Crash Landing. After a brash riff paired with erratic drumming, you’re hit with the Johnny Rotten style cadence in lead singer Noah Lonergan’s voice. Interesting considering this isn’t how he originally sounded, as their debut single Teenage Tragedy dictates with its softer, pop punk adjacent vocals.
A throwback of this caliber is appreciated
To give them the benefit of the doubt, most artists don’t find their defining sound until later in their careers. You can tell they are trying to mimic classic punk acts- i.e. Sex Pistols, but also Buzzcocks, who the band cites as an inspiration. While a throwback of this caliber is appreciated, especially in the context of being a young adult angry at modern day society, it borders on trying too hard, despite not being a bad song by any stretch.
Same goes for the next single, Just Kids, albeit a minute shorter, so it functions as a generic interlude that cuts to the chase in its commentary about adolescence.
“The children are all scared/their nerves are worse for wear”
The sound they establish gets thrown out the window with the single You Make Me (Fall Apart), shifting focus onto toxic relationships. Gone are the classic punk copycats, and in its place a modern metal track that’s oddly reminiscent of Deftones.
In as early as the first verse, the similarities between this and 7 Words are prominent. It sticks out like a sore thumb, yet it’s honestly the most magnetic. It doesn’t sound as forced yet the angst is still present.
In all fairness, when addressing matters such as politics and relationships, it’s sung with conviction. When Lonergan decrees, “The children are all scared/their nerves are worse for wear,” in Crash Landing, you believe it. Sonically, You Make Me (Fall Apart) is the best in the EP, while also being the tamest. For those whose tastes align with the likes of Bring Me The Horizon, this is the one to pay attention to.
Pop Punk bites back with the penultimate song, Losing My Head. Not much else to it- it’s an upbeat, mental health anthem no different from what you tend to hear within this genre. To the point where it’s hard to tell when this song ends and the final song, Hell Of A Day, begins until you hear the opening lyric “I’m stuck in town, think I’ve got bad luck,” and wonder why we’re all of a sudden back to spoken word.
Desolate Warning is an endearing listen which veers too close to imitation. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, but it’ll be intriguing to see this band find their own unique voice as they reach their prime years.
