EP REVIEW: alright (okay) – decent (fine)

‘…a ferocious live presence and a debut EP that is an unconventional as it is accessible. You don’t get many bands that radiate the je ne sais quoi that this four piece manage to…’

There are few upcoming bands on Merseyside that have managed to garner a cult following quite like alright (okay). The band emerged back in 2021 with their brilliantly fun debut ‘Coffee’, and have since gone on to become a beloved part of the local scene, notably adored by their musical peers as well as listeners.

It’s been a year of change for the four-piece, however. Guitarist, vocalist, and founding member of Will Booth is departing at the end of 2025, following an EP launch show on November 15th, packed with must-know names. Of course, a stacked line-up is only half the battle; the EP in question must be worth listening to as well. Thankfully for alright (okay), this debut effort is more than worth your time.

Opening number ‘10A‘, a staple of the band’s live set, commences with a moody instrumental, before vaulting into an explosive, swaggering slab of slacker rock. Frontman Alex Usher decries the infamous Liverpool bus route, making references to ‘Jonhead’ thugs fighting over cannabis, and sex pest ‘Purple Aki’, who became something of a local celebrity within Merseyside. It’s darkly humoured and wryly delivered, making for a perfect introduction to the gritty yet somewhat absurdist world of alright (okay). Lead single ‘good friend (he was)‘ documents Usher’s loss of a beloved family pet, with a powerful balance of grief and pride threaded throughout the simply brilliant lyricism. ‘It hurts to be loved/It’s love to be changed‘ bellows Usher over searing guitar riffs and thunderous, driving percussion, the likes of which you might find on a 00’s FIFA video game soundtrack.

Yet it’s ‘a conversation / i can’t remember‘ that reveals that alright (okay) are far more than just another great indie rock outfit. At almost six minutes in length, the track takes on something of an understated progressive feel, morphing from a mellow and mournful introductory passage into something that rages with a vicious, righteous fury. The looping guitar riffs of Booth, buoyed by the intense percussion of James Byrne, slam into the listener like the punches of a heavyweight boxer, as Usher eulogises for a person he used to be, and a kindness he used to have. ‘sandpaper; concrete‘ opts for subtle hints of folk and blues to decorate its indie backbone, as Booth takes the lead vocal role to deliver a genuinely powerful testament to urbanisation and the changing face of Britain. The belief of a tight-knit, pastoral land has completely unravelled in the face of division, whilst the human connection to the green and pleasant land has been replaced with rat races, office culture, and elevator etiquette.

There are never any guarantees in life, and that is doubly true when it comes to the music industry. Musicians that deserve superstardom may dissolve long before ever breaking out of the local circuit, whilst other acts that may well deserve far less gain immense popularity; sometimes, the stars simply need to align. alright (okay) have done everything they possibly can to launch themselves into the realms of indie rock, with a ferocious live presence and a debut EP that is an unconventional as it is accessible. You don’t get many bands that radiate the je ne sais quoi that this four piece manage to, and if there is any justice, you may well find their name in lights in a town near you very soon.

RATING: 77/100 – Mostly Very Good

For Fans Of: Slothrust, Milk Teeth, Hungry, Fontaines D.C., Arctic Monkeys, Pavement

Follow the band on social media below:

Instagram // Bandcamp // Twitter // TikTok