Nottingham Pop-Punkers Layby have sailed a stormy sea over the last year. They parted ways with vocalist Aaron Bowes and Miles Kent stepped in to take on vocal duties. âLifeâs Great Illusionsâ was recorded while Bowes was still in the band, but as any smalltime DIY band will attest it is not cheap to rework months of hard work, and the record is a gratifying way for the band to pay homage to Aaron as they take their next step following âBombsiteâ, released in June last year.
âSoundcheckâ starts things off, and it is just what the title suggests; something you would expect to hear outside the backdoor of a venue before a show starts. As an opening track itâs a slow starter, but itâs quick, painless, and before you know it the first single âChronicâ has kicked in. âChronicâ is catchy, full of life and reminiscent of Neck Deepâs âRain In Julyâ. Itâs rare but enjoyable to hear a UK accent coming from a UK Pop-Punk band, and the âstand up and forget yourselfâ sing-a-long delivered in a Nottinghamshire accent is surprisingly powerful and passion-filled.
âWhere I Standâ giveâs the EP a good change of pace. The half-time feel to the chorus is refreshing, sprinkled with traditional pop-punk lyrics about hating life and failing. This is a running theme throughout, and although predictable, the lyrics are sung with great conviction; there is clearly an abundance of heart and emotion behind them. âKicking and Screamingâ treads similar lyrical ground, but boasts a strong vocal and jam-packed rhythm section to compliment it.
âLosing Faithâ is the final and stand out track on the EP. Shouted vocals give the song a sense of urgency lacking in earlier tracks. The band spoke about ânot always knowing where youâre goingâ and âlife getting flipped on itsâ headâ when discussing the release on their Bandcamp page. This track shines a light on these themes, pleasingly tying up the record and injecting a little more personality into the final minutes of the release.
It would have been nice to see the guys branch out and do something different with this EP as it doesnât show a huge amount of musical progression from âBombsiteâ. All in all âLifeâs Great Illusionsâ is a solid board for the band to spring off. Now they have a more secure line up, they can grasp at more touring opportunities and come into their own in 2015.
LUCINDA LIVINGSTONE