Before the corona virus effectively shut down the music business, Dead Wax in Birmingham was supposed to host an Easter Sunday All Dayer with Artio, Idealistics, Emzae, Barefoot in Baltimore and headlined by Seazoo. Sadly, the mini festival was cancelled for the time being, but let’s hope it will return, either later this year or in 2021.
I was looking forward to seeing several of the acts, especially Idealistics who were to debut on the West Midlands indie scene. Luckily for me, the Cambridge based trio released their newest EP ‘The Rain In Our Eyes’ in January so the disappointment of not being able see them live is not so severe.
The 5 track EP is a solid dose of excellent rock and roll inspired by Wolf Alice, Manic Street Preachers and The Killers. The opening song, ‘Scandalous’ is probably the most catchy track on the EP and it’s not surprising why the band chose it as the leading single. Energetic and foot-tapping, it reflects on how young women are over sexualized in the entertainment industry.
It is not the only song on the record that deals with an important topic. ‘Take Your Words Back’, the mid-tempo, duet type second song was written when the lead singer Ali Hirsz was in hospital being treated for her life threatening Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.
‘Timeless Goodbye’, a ballad squeezed into the middle of the EP, may feel like a filler, but its delicate piano intro and western-inspired guitars have a certain charm.
Wait till you hear ‘Illegal Love’ and ‘My Rules’ – this is where things are getting really interesting and Idealistics show their true potential.
‘Illegal Love’ has a seriously infectious beat and features guitarist George Gillott as the main vocalist. Not sure if the band is thinking of releasing it as a second single, but they should really consider doing it.
If “Illegal Love” puts the spotlight on George Gillott, then ‘My Rules’ allows Ali Hirsz to run the show. The song starts slowly with a long piano interlude played by the band’s drummer, Dominique Hirsz, only to explode with a strong guitar solo and fast drumming. It’s a bit of Roxette and a lot of Manics music wise but Ali’s voice is crystal clear and powerful. It is a perfect song to finish off the EP with and the listeners will be definitely asking to hear more.
Idealistics have only two EP’s and a charity single (“Here Comes The Zebras”) recorded so far, but give them a year or two to fully spread their wings. I know I will be waiting for their next release with anticipation.
Julia Pellow