Pretty Criminal are a Bristol based rock n’ roll band made up of guitarist and lead singer Guy Stark, lead guitarist Will Stark, bassist Charlie Freeman and drummer and vocalist Issac Branch. The band formed last year and take inspiration from legends like The Rolling Stones and The Beatles as well as popular indie band Catfish and The Bottlemen among others. You can definitely hear the influences in their music, which feels familiar but altogether new at the same time!
The band recently released a new EP titled Fallin’ In which consists of three tracks: Live It Up, Can’t Let Go and City Lover sit really well together as a trio, enforcing a strong image and a persistent sound that really brings something fresh and new to the South West music scene. Released on the 14th November, the EP is definitely worth checking out! Fallin’ In has an infectious energy and is impossible to listen to only once! A consistent sound across the three songs, which all fit together seamlessly, creates a really strong brand for the EP and presents a powerful image for the band!
Live It Up is the first track on the EP and it really sets the mood with the guitars coming in strong after a slower, almost eerie opening that gave me some strong Stones vibes. Vocals come in shortly after that, but not before you’ve had time to marvel at the pure talent Will has. When the vocals start to seep in, the distant effect on them really works well, giving off a strong sense of rock and roll - something the music scene can never have enough of in my opinion! The guitar rhythm feels familiar but completely unique at the same time. This feels like a song you should already know or at least one that you definitely want to get to know! Instrumental parts split up the vocals nicely, and add to the already incredible memorability of the track. The slow but sudden ending leaves you wanting to hear more, making Live It Up a fitting opening track for the EP. It really sets a high standard for the rest of the album!
Next up on the EP: Can't Let Go. This one sure doesn't disappoint either! Can’t Let Go starts off with a solid drum beat which, when combined with the guitar, make it really difficult not to bop along. The vocals come in strong again and really show off Guy's voice, proving how well suited to the rock n' roll genre it is. Overall, the song has a strong eighties rock feel to it, making me think of artists like Alice Cooper and Poison, which is definitely a good thing! I can see this being a huge hit live! Pretty Criminal are incredibly good at creating a solid backing to boost their vocals and it really comes across in these tracks. Can’t Let Go is as memorable as Live It Up, the lyrics are easy to pick up on and have you singing along before even finishing a first listen, which is always a good way to make sure people are pressing repeat! The similar fade at the end of the song links it back to Live it Up which keeps a consistency across the EP and solidifies the band's sound.
The third and final song on the EP, City Lover, is possibly my favourite out of the three. The opening is slightly more laid-back than the previous two songs but still possesses the same energy that has you nodding along. The track really shows off the talent of the whole band and proves how well they work together as a group. Just before the chorus, the track slows down slightly which is really effective when it speeds up again and the vocals are shown off. Changes in pace can sometimes deter the whole mood of a song but this doesn’t, it manages to increase the energy and highlight the strength of Guy's voice. City Lover is yet another incredibly catchy tune, I for one have been singing it all day, and it's definitely one to blast in the car!
These three tracks give us a small taste of what a Pretty Criminal live gig is like, fiercely energetic and definitely loud! They've absolutely made it onto my list of bands to see live when we can again! If you haven’t already, make sure to check the band out on Spotify and social media to keep up with what they’re up to and make sure you don't miss out!
Check out the EP here!
Words by Chloe Pollard.
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