Source: Album Artwork
Let us introduce you to We Are Carnivores, a mischievous Nottingham-based math-rock quartet with dance moves to rival Rob Damiani and a unflinching desire to be ‘lads on tour’ forever. After their foray into the top 15 of Red Bull Studios ‘Road To Download’ competition last year,we at Hit The Floor couldn’t wait to get our impatient little paws on their new EP, Tex-Mexiconomy.
Blending Enter Shikari with Reuben, We Are Carnivores bring together a variety of genres and mix them with acerbic wit to achieve what they call ‘mystical music goodness’. Aside from the quirky sense of humour and infallible energy that this band seems to possess, we can safely say that this record is grounded in solid pop-rock melodies and math-inspired hooks.
Tex-Mexiconomy opens with a flourish; the almost electronic vibes of ‘Checkout Girl’ effectively demonstrating that this band have a knack for writing hooks that make you want to party. ‘Quick Question Can’t Stay Long’ is better yet, flaunting a punchy break-down that could likely bring down the roof of a small house when played at the right volume.
‘T.O.W.I.C.S’ ramps up the energy yet again, standing out as one of the most instantly likeable songs on the record. Sharp, satirical lyrics mingle with up-tempo melodies and infectious guitar hooks to great effect. ‘Iron Me’ is a U-turn, but not a wholly unwelcome one. The slower tempo allows vocalist Harry Christopher to change it up and show off the softer side of his voice, before the math guitars kick right back in. It’s not a bad track, but it is probably the least accomplished on the EP.
Marking a return to form, the last (but certainly not least) track on the EP is ‘Are We Allowed To Just Live’, which is the proud owner of probably the best introductory segments of any of the songs on the album. Both the vocals and the melodies take a step away from pop-rock grounding here, unveiling a more aggressive sound that is awesomely reminiscent of the glory days of Enter Shikari.
When We Are Carnivores get it right, they really get it right, and on the whole this EP demonstrates as much animation and hyped-up energy as Lee Evans after fourteen cans of Red Bull. Chock full of lyrical sass, breakdowns that make you want to move and perfectly executed hooks that makes we wish we played guitar, it’s hard to believe that this EP was recorded in a bedroom using one microphone. If you like your math-rock with a sense of humour and a shot of Jagermeister on the side, then you should be super excited to hear what this band will produce when let loose on a recording studio and a full-length album.
