The Orwells - Other Voices

The Orwells are a group of angsty, scruffy 18 year olds from Chicago who make messy, scuzzy garage punk. With that in mind, their ‘Other Voices EP’ sounds exactly as you’d hope – exciting, abrasive, and utterly merciless.

Title track and opener ‘Other Voices’ is an absolute barnstormer; lead by singer Mario Cuomo’s tireless, throaty bellow, and backed by a wall of fuzzy power chords and drumming that feels like a punch to the gut; it delivers a truly awesome assault on the ears. Setting the standard so high straight out of the gates is dangerous, but for the entirety of the EP, they ensure the standard never slips. ‘Blood Bubbles’ may be an altogether slower affair, but it maintains exactly the same energy and noisy lo-fi aesthetics of its predecessor. ‘Head’ and ‘Mallrats’ turn the volume up to eleven, but are still packed with insanely memorable hooks and melodies.

Simple, catchy, and ruthlessly energetic, it’s an irresistible mix, and refreshing to hear a band oozing with such raw passion. Clocking in at just under twelve minutes, they’ve wisely chosen quality over quantity, and have offered up a tantalising glimpse of what’s to come.