Source: Album Artwork
Here Again is the debut full-length from Connecticut four-piece A Will Away. The album goes much further than just being a compilation of rock songs – it’s a moving emo soundtrack that’ll hook you and give you something that you can painfully relate to. A Will Away have recently toured with Tiny Moving Parts and are set to follow this up with a nationwide tour with Moose Blood, Trophy Eyes and Boston Manor.
The appropriately titled opening track ‘Here Again’, is likely to greet your ears countless times as you slam down the repeat button after hearing it for the first time. It’s got everything you want from an emo/alternative track – sweet, nostalgia inducing melodies and hooks that pack a punch. The introspective ‘Agoraphobia’ deals with internal conflict. The feelings of anxiety and uncertainty discussed in this track are bound to be relatable: “I want to let you in, but what can you give me?”.
Matt Carlson’s vocals in ‘Summon Your Saviour’ and ‘The Shakes’ create poignant pangs of emotion. Self-examination makes this release sincere and it prompts our own self reflection. Following on from ‘Agoraphobia’, ‘The Shakes’ also looks at misunderstanding within relationships and attempts to mend a fractured one.
‘Something Special’ closes the album and reminds us why Here Again is such a strong release. The beaten down acoustic style alongside lyrics like “how we realised that we simply don’t belong” wrap up a potent, emotional release. Sometimes full-length alt/rock albums can slip into repetition and sameness when they lack sentiment. However, A Will Away have managed to create a classic emo album for anyone who needs something human to relate to.
