BUSKING FOR MISFITS EP REVIEW
The sound of the EP is clearly very retro-esque, with Brain May like guitar paired with beats and lyrical content that sound more Oasis/Arctic Monkeys like, and some heaviness that's maybe even a little Royal Blood, it's definitely something a little different. An advantage of making music now is that you have so many decades of rock music to take influence from, and that's clearly what's been done here.
The EP has an incredibly punchy start with Sticks and Stones, straight in with heavy instrumental about being with a girl that's 'bad but too good'. Somehow from the title, I was expecting something softer and more heartfelt, but I was pleasantly surprised by the intensity of the song and definitely left me eager to listen to what the rest of the EP had to give. The following track 78 Street boasted a very similar vibe with it's punchiness and heaviness. These two songs cemented the sound that the band are going for and it's pretty cool that they already seem to have a sound worked out already!
Tequila Sunrise was my personal favourite of the five. Strong vocals and lyrics combined with an incredible guitar solo in the bridge, and just generally a good bass and drum beat.
I'll be honest, for the first two songs the jury was still out a little, I wasn't really sure where things were going but with Tequila Sunrise I suddenly thought 'Yes, this has real potential!'. This is the kick I was waiting for. The drums, guitar, bass and vocals are all completely cohesive and just work together in a way that's really impressive for a band that's literally just starting out. The thing about Tequila Sunrise was also that it was catchy. I found myself tapping along while writing this when I wasn't even listening to the song. It was pretty much the ideal song for a first EP, so good job to Busking For Misfits for this one.
Till The Sun Goes Down was much in the style of the first two songs with it's intensity and defiant lyrics, and in the nicest way, there's not much to be said about it that I haven't said about the other two! The vocals in the bridge were pretty impressive and yet again there was a great guitar solo.
Signs and Illusions was up there with Tequila Sunrise as a favourite. It's a little different with it's slower tempo and almost ballad-like style, but it was nice to see a bit of versatility. I was hoping there would a slower song so the band could show off a range of styles in the EP, and I wasn't disappointed. The slower tempo also really shows off the vocals which are actually very impressive. It's relatively easy to sound decent when singing in a super intense rock song in which the heavy instruments are much more in your face, but to sound good in a ballad is a far more difficult task, so props to the lead vocalist!
I know I've already mentioned guitar solos twice in this review, but I'm a sucker for a good guitar and the guitar solo at the end of Signs and Illusions genuinely blew me away. That is a serious guitar player who seems like he's been professional for decades, not just starting out. It sound sounds like something straight from an 80s hit. The guitar solo really made Signs and Illusions a great song and to end the whole EP on this was an incredibly smart move.
Overall, I was pretty impressed with Busking For Misfits EP. Was it perfect? No. There are definitely improvements to be made but the most important thing is that there is absolute potential. In the songs where everything was cohesive and each of the guitar, drums, bass and vocals shone, it really worked.
For a first release so early in their career, Busking For Misfits should pat themselves on the back. It was a good start, and I'm excited to hear more from them in the future!
Listen on Spotify HERE
Listen on Apple Music HERE
Check them out on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube
Written by Ruby Crowhurst
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