Light Grey – “Bubblegum”
Ciaran Nevin (Vocals, Guitar), Mikey Connolly (Guitar), Sean ODowd (Bass) and Conor McCarry (Drums) make up the 4 piece pop punk-rock band from the UK and Ireland – Light Grey. In affiliation with New Heights Music Group, the band released its debut EP “Beginners Luck”, to all major digital download stores on June 29th 2018. Now, lifted off the same recording, comes the brand new single “Bubblegum”. Pop and punk are two words that never seem particularly easy bedfellows. One of the few bands to pull this off to great effect was Blink 182, who were probably the biggest pop-punkers on the planet, making their name with daft little songs marked by unhinged humor and flipped out videos.
Light Grey know the limitations of that Blink equation in the current musical climate, and hence throw in a fat wallop of crunchy overdriven guitars and alternative rock into their own formula. The result is a sound more serious, intense and even foreboding at times, without losing the pop craftiness and anthemic choruses that makes this crossover genre so captivating.
“Bubblegum” is a euphoric, inspiring listen, as demonstrated by the excellent instrumentation and soaring vocals. It’s the sort of song that you want to play loud while driving very fast on the highway and feeling glad that you’re alive. Driven by the edgy and sprawling guitar riffs, the stomping drums, and rolling bass lines, the track is reinforced by its powerful melody.
At the forefront is Ciaran Nevin’s impassioned voice which drives the music into an emphatic realm drenched with a sense of somewhat self-confident grandiosity. This makes for an appealing contradiction that runs from compelling to bombastic.
“Bubblegum” is both epic and rocking thanks to a combination of chiming guitars, creative studio enhancements and a rhythm section firing on all cylinders. As happens across the rest of the EP, the shifting guitar kick out riffs over which Nevin croons with urgency.
Excitement prevails as the guitar ripples create rhythms that swirl during the instrumental intro and serve to introduce and accentuate the eventual vocal earnestness up ahead. The lyrics track the consumed by love thematic, which is never saccharine in its often ardent manner.
The strongpoint of the track – after the expanding electric guitar motifs – is the chorus, which has Nevin chanting with passionate exuberance. The band have perfected a formula that travels between the realms of creating truly epic punk rock songs, while still delivering a large chunk of streamlined pop elements.
Light Grey have produced a track, and EP, you will keep coming back to as the music is just so damn catchy. It will make you sit and take notice. They’re doing something special right now, in a climate that doesn’t easily favor anything to do with punk. No doubt, more people will soon shake up some related thoughts on Light Grey, and embrace them for what they are: excellent!
Press Contact and Booking Agent
Danielle: DWhyte.NewHeights@outlook.com
OFFICIAL LINKS: FACEBOOK – TWITTER – INSTAGRAM – BANDCAMP – SPOTIFY – APPLE MUSIC – ITUNES
