Everything Everything - Man Alive

‘My KZ Ur BF’ is the school-boy-spelt opener on Manchester’s latest musical misfits Everything Everything’s debut album, ‘Man Alive’ - however this isn’t an album full of youthful adolescence, ignoring the countless girlfriend references, but instead a creative and captivating offering and insight into everybody’s new favourite band. After a mere quarter spin of their LP, it’s easy to see why their name was penned on so many ‘ones to watch’ lists at the start of the year, and why they’re now climbing up the indie-ladder (and soon to be charts) at an almost alarming rate.

The man behind the microphone, known as Johnathan Everything, dictates his only self-set rule of making music as ‘not to sound like anyone else”, a rule the band have decided not to follow, but instead live by - ‘Man Alive’ creates a sound which is as unique to the music scene as a persons fingerprint is to the rest of the world. ‘Suffragette Suffragette’, a quirky pop hit mixing high pitched harmonies and a rather heavy guitar riff juxtaposed with a sweet set of vocals during the chorus, was their debut single and the air bubble which also helped them surface.

Staying true to the bands Mancunian roots, the majority of the album is filled with upbeat disco floor-fillers with the lyrics at times almost uninterpretable, but when you’re dancing until your feet fall off that isn’t the biggest of your worries (plus you can always partake in the ongoing backing vocals). ‘Come Alive Diana’ sounds almost like a demo, but the sort which later that day would sign you the record deal of your life. ‘Final Form’ is a chance for Jonathan and co. to show their sweeter side, with the softest of vocals and even softer harmonies, followed by ‘Nasa Is On Your Side’ which mixes everything previously mentioned but with Elton John, in spirit, on keys.

Mid-album track ‘Schoolin” plays host to one of the most distinguishable openings a song could ask, with only a simple five note whistle; it’s as infectious as a Derren Brown mind trick and will make you subconsciously, if you’re not already consciously, tap along (or maybe even whistle if you feel so bold). ‘Leave The Engine Room’ then follows in an octave so high you’d need a Yellow Pages to try to reach it, whilst ‘Photoshop Handsome’ sounds like it has been produced by the sound-tracker of Sonic The Hedgehog, using a Sega Megadrive.

Although Everything Everything could actually be described and compared to everyone and everything, due to the vast array of sounds and styles throughout the twelve-track album, the key thing to remember is they aren’t any of them - but are in fact are everything and anything they want to be, thus creating an album which stands out as a result of its pure honestly and creativity, deserving of a space in any music retailer or lovers discography.