Photo Credit: Steve Gullick
Afraid Of Tomorrows, the much anticipated second album from Liverpool rockers The Mysterines, was released earlier this month – and believe us it was well worth the wait! The follow-up to their 2022 debut Reeling, we can hear how much their music has matured since then even on a first listen. Perhaps helped by the band’s extensive touring between those two years, including a stadium tour with Arctic Monkeys.
Producer John Congleton has helped to create a work of art, as can be heard from the first song The Last Dance as Lia Metcalfe uses the full range of vocals to pull you in from the first verse, with a twist at the end of the song in an almost whispered finish. The accompanying video is also well worth a watch. Next up, Stray offers distorted vocals alongside some great guitar work from Callum Thompson. The keyboard infusion during Another Another Another sees a more laid back switch, as Metcalfe’s voice is softer for this one, while Tired Animal is a slower, slightly grungy track with a very powerful bassline running throughout. It picks up the pace near the end as the vocals excel once again.
Jesse You’re A Superstar starts off almost acoustically before a big finish and Hawkmoon continues likewise, a very stripped-back song allowing the vocals to shine through, once again with a very loud ending to the song. Sink Ya Teeth offers a heavier, in your face, guitar led three and a half minutes. Paul Crilly on drums is a standout here as Metcalfe sings “Dead in the web baby, it’s no fun/Your dirty sheets, your strung-out love/Your kerosene kiss, there’s nothing new.” It’s the best track on the album and is going down well at the live shows. It would be so good to hear the full twelve tracks on the upcoming UK tour in October, well here’s hoping! Similar to the recent Dead Pony album there is no particular style of music on this album. Every track brings a different aspect of music to the listener, as can be heard in the blues-influenced Junkyard Angel. The production shines through on this track with a great mixture of drums, bass, synth and vocals making it one of the standouts on the album. “If I tell you that I love ya, I am lying” screams Metcalfe.
Metcalfe’s vocals across this album are nothing short of mesmerising. There aren’t many singers out there right now with the atmospheric vocal range that she has, and we look forward to experiencing it first hand in October. Inside A Matchbox is another of the laid-back acoustic tracks, while So Long has an amazing, hooky guitar riff running alongside the moody reflective lyrics. The album’s title track Afraid of Tomorrows is left right to the end, it’s a very stripped-back number with an almost folky feel about it. A nice way to close off the 44 minute album.
The Mysterines have a very busy second half of the year ahead. They are currently on a record store album promotion tour, followed by various UK and European festival appearances. Then, they then head over to the USA in September before their UK and European tour in October. The homecoming show at Liverpool’s Olympia should be a special one. This band have worked so hard to get to where they are right now and 2024 is promising to be the year of a big breakthrough.
8/10
For Fans Of: The Blinders, She Drew The Gun, Dead Pony
Standout Tracks: The Last Dance, Stray, Sink Ya Teeth, Junkyard Angel
Written by: Alan Brown
