States of Emotion are a rock band formed by singer songwriter Olly Hookings. They gained a reputation following a support slot with The Enemy, and self released their long-awaited debut album Black to White to Gold in February, along with a new track, ‘Back to Back’.
The emotion is felt in the big minor chords and Hookings’ melancholic voice. The song could be about Hookings attempting to banish his demons as he sings: “There’s things on my mind now I need to let go.” Although the lyrics are delivered with heartfelt passion, musically it is a strong imitation of post-Britpop bands such as Travis and Embrace. Perhaps the guitar could have been placed higher in the mix to add some colour.
Although the instrumentation is at times forgettable, this track will appeal to anyone who likes hard-hitting lyrics with a big production.
Words by Ermis Madikopoulos