Madams Last Discovery, a psych-drenched post-punk band from Belfast, have released their debut EP The World’s End, a thunderous introduction and statement of intent. Across four tracks, the band’s blistering, psychedelic post-punk comes into sharp focus with frontman Flinn O’Grady helming a band resolutely marching to the beat of their own drum. The EP is the culmination of three years of writing and refining – a collection of old and new that captures exactly where Madams are right now. Originally forming while still in school, the band found their feet through tinnitus-inducing levels of sound in practice rooms across the city. The EP’s title is drawn from the iconic closer of Edgar Wright’s Cornetto Trilogy as O’Grady explains:
“The title comes from the iconic movie in the Cornetto Trilogy, which in true Edgar Wright fashion, centers heavily on music. Our own sound echoes a lot of artists from the late 80s and 90s, so the title choice really ties in all of our inspirations, both new and old. Within the movie, the music takes on so many styles and we felt it really encapsulated our EP, as each song holds its own stylistically. We also snuck in the sample that introduces ‘Orange Juice’ back into the end of our closing song, Molotov, which brought the entire project to a circular close.”
The sample at the start of opening track ‘Orange Juice’ is from the 50’s movie, “Plan 9 from Outer Space”, and yet intriguingly the chorus lyrics are based on the infamous quote from Pinocchio, “I’ve got no strings on me”. The latter relates to the sense of when all the weight is removed from your shoulders and you having nothing else in the world hold you back. There is such confidence in both the vocal delivery and instrumentation on ‘Orange Juice’ which pounds the pavement as it travels. The psychedelic post-punk is biting and there is no way the listener will stop now, the urge to hear more is overwhelming.
‘The Message’ has a different vibe altogether, the guitar introducing us to this swaggering track. The warping back and forth adds to the whole “end of the night” atmosphere, when nothing is clear and yet everything is questioned. The vocals of O’Grady add to the drama and story-telling of ‘The Message’ and Madams Last Discovery, completed by Nathan Shawe (lead guitar), Guigsy (bass player) and Fiontan McAleavey (drums) together produce a sound which is very much their own.
Latest single ‘Out of Fashion’ blends a hint of rock n’ roll to everything that has gone before. O’Grady sings: “I’m out of fashion, I’m out of touch. I’m out of fashion, but I don’t care that much” with a laissez-faire attitude. However that crisp yet twitchy percussion does suggest that this is not the whole story, further enhanced by the echoey, layered vocals towards the end. The band expands:
“In ‘Out of Fashion,’ “I’m pulling out my hair, with this TV glare, showing me you’re accusing the wrong man of stealing your welfare”, we highlight the constant divide-and-conquer methods being pulled by people in power.”
The EP finishes with ‘Molotov’, an expansive 7 minute epic. Giving this track the space and time it needs to express itself has produced a breathtaking finish to The World’s End. The psych infused guitars, heavy bass line and shimmering percussion suddenly gives way to a guitar riff which signals an upping of the pace and energy. The cacophony of sound builds, almost losing a grip of the rhythm and pace, teetering on the edge with its swirling instrumentation. The vocal is still there in the background and the whole continues until the static fuelled final notes. A stunning end to a wonderful debut.
For more information on Madams Last Discovery please check their instagram and facebook.
Review: 8 of 10