SINGLE REVIEW: alright (okay) – Good Friend (He Was)

‘…a perfect coalescence of circumstances that serves to remind that whilst everything changes, everything will be alright…’

There is undoubtedly something special about alright (okay). The Merseyside four-piece have not only generated something of a cult following, but are beloved by their fellow musicians; between their incendiary live performances, their slack yet punchy musical style, and their all around good nature, it’s easy to understand why. This month has seen the band shadow drop a brand new single after a period of relative silence.

Sculpted in the days following the death of vocalist Alex Usher’s childhood pet, ‘Good Friend (He Was)‘ is a thunderous, garage rock tinged number that balances perfectly a celebration of life with the painful weight of grief. An undulating instrumental introductory passage erupts into a raw, crunchy, rock’n’roll anthem, dominated by thick bass lines and crackling, lo-fi guitar riffing. Rhythms shift and change continuously with a righteous, riotous ferocity, almost as if the track is struggling to contain its own energy.

Usher continues to serve as a monstrously compelling frontman for the band, with his vocals alternating between a gravelly lower register and electrifying shouted passages, both working perfectly in tandem to truly bring to life those feelings of grief and pride. Furthermore, Usher has penned undoubtedly some of his strongest lyrics to date, with the bridge of ‘It hurts to be loved/It’s love to be changed/Even if you’re saying the same thing every day‘ cutting deep to the soul with its emotive weight.

With the band facing the imminent departure of vocalist and guitarist Will Booth, there are no guarantees what the future will look like for alright (okay), yet it is hard to imagine it being anything less than exceptionally bright. It is perhaps fitting that a song dedicated to the loss of a loved one accompanies the departure of one of the band’s founding members; a perfect coalescence of circumstances that serves to remind that whilst everything changes, everything will be alright, and maybe even okay, in the end.

For Fans Of: Queens Of The Stone Age, PUP, The Marigolds, Manchester Orchestra, Slothrust

Featured photo credit belongs to Florintein.

Follow the band on social media below:

Instagram // Spotify