SINGLE REVIEW: Retroview – You Say You Want To Change Me

’…with ‘You Say You Want To Change Me’, the band are making it clear that they are not here to appeal to your preconceived notions of who they are…’

Last year, north west four-piece Retroview stepped onto the scene with their debut track, ‘What You Waiting For’; a scrappy little indie cut that felt brilliantly 00’s, with it’s rambunctious, hedonistic attitude and no-frills delivery.

It’s proved to be a fairly popular release for the newcomers, amassing nearly 6000 streams at the time of writing this. However, little did any of us know that Retroview were about to blow this track clean out of the water; their sophomore single, ‘You Say You Want To Change Me’ pivots the band’s sound in a wholly unexpected way, yet actually launches the band to the forefront of Merseyside musicians you should be paying attention to.

Thumping bass and percussion drive a dance rock rhythm, set against sparkling synths that give the whole affair a shockingly grand feel. Guitars shred out riffs with immense flair and vibrancy, whilst the distinctive vocals are utilised wonderfully; smoky and understated during the verses, yet compelling and resonant during the choruses, weaving fantastically catchy melodies.

Even as a fan of Retroview’s debut track, this was a massively unexpected joy of a listen. The manner in which elements are added or subtracted to the dense layers of music – the additional harmonies in the final chorus, or the stripping back of the instrumental in the second verse – is expertly done, ensuring that the track consistently delivers an electrifying kick.

It’s hard to truly phrase how impressive this release is from Retroview. Certainly, the band could have released another uptempo and straightforwards indie rock banger, and it would have gone down well enough. But with ‘You Say You Want To Change Me’, the band are making it clear that they are not here to appeal to your preconceived notions of who they are.

Keep a very, very close eye on this band.

For Fans Of: The Wombats, Courteneers, The Easton Ellises, Kaiser Chiefs, Death From Above 1979

Featured photo credit belongs to @lottie_jonsesphotography.

Follow the band on social media below:

Instagram // Spotify // Twitter