Self confessed indie rock/ warped folk band The Staycations are a local five-piece band from Cambridge. Combining a mix of jangly guitar and the occasional banjo, their second EP (released earlier this month) introduces a variety of slow and meaningful songs along with their other catchy upbeat tunes. With influences such as Foals, Ben Howard and Peace, it’s clear where the band have found their sound and could easily begin to make their way on to the indie music scene outside of their city’s local venues.
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The EP starts with the catchy and self-assured ‘Going Out’ which immediately sets a great summery feel to the EP with the two electric guitars bouncing off each other underneath lead singer Lewis Hall’s deep tones. Swiftly moving into similarly upbeat second track ‘Brainstorm’, the chorus is one that becomes embedded in your brain in the best way possible and you find yourself walking to the beat of down the street. The repeated harmonies on “I’m coming / I’m coming with you / I’m coming with you,” create such a bouncy feel to the song you can’t help but begin to sing along yourself.
The EP was recorded over 5 days at Crooks Hall studio in Suffolk and although second to last track ‘Bad Weather’ was only written a couple of days before recording, it is a definite highlight of the EP. Showing their knack for creating brilliant tunes with great warped guitar intros and outros, the falls and builds of this song add a superb contrast to the songs’ bitter-sweet lyrics. “Cause’ the rain won’t know / what the wind don’t show is the patterns stay the same EP Review: Something Good Tomorrow // The Staycations / sometimes I wish that they would change.”
Something Good Tomorrow holds so many summer songs and definitely shows progression and slight changes in direction from The Staycations first EP Tied in Time, which was released last year. Hopefully as this band start to gain more and more followers, they’ll carry on progressing and more EPs – maybe even an album – will follow.
Words by Jane Taylor