About two weeks ago I had not heard of Life until a musically wandering friend of mine picked them out as one of his favourite gigs of the recent and most excellent The Great Escape Festival (cheeky Wyld Stallyns reference for the fans). Shortly following that, this absolute beauty of an album dropped into my inbox a week later. So, if like me, you know little about them but are openly Life-curious then let me offer you some nest feathering facts to get you up to speed.
Life are a Hull based alternative four-piece with a love for the outdoors, community and all-round loveliness. They are comprised of Mick Sanders (guitar), Lydia Palmeira (bass), Stewart Baxter (drums) and Mez Green (lead vocals). ‘Abstract/Natural’ is their fourth record, all of which have been released on the band’s very own label and, not only that, they’ve only gone and built themselves their own recording studio on a riverbank which also doubles up as an artist’s space for local creatives. Clever old Stewart Baxter also produced it with Oliver Varga and it was all mixed by James Kenosha. To cap it all, it turns out that Steve Lamacq has been championing them since he was wearing short trousers. How they’ve passed me by up until this point is a mystery but I’m very happy that I’ve finally seen the light. I’m also quite jealous of their set up and am currently questioning my life choices.
Wainwright’s world of Lake District Fell walking and the bagging of Scottish Munros might not seem like fertile song writing material to the uninitiated but Life swerve established trends as ‘Abstract/Natural’ kicks off with ‘Wild Grasses’, a glorious ode to the outdoors. The fact that the album evolved from the pages of Mez Green’s poetry notebook which he penned on his many adventures outdoors is evident here and across the record. An intro of acoustic guitar and keys soon builds with the full band until Green’s vocals erupt with tales of hiking, ancient folklore and the lesser-spotted mention of triangulation pillars in lyrical form – more melodically shortened to ‘trig points’ for ease of singing along. Green sings of “…wild grasses – I belong to wild grasses.” making you want to throw the remote, don your most comfortable walking boots and explore the wilderness.
Following the opener comes ‘The Dollywaggon’, the outstanding, high paced single that accompanied the announcement of the album release. It is a song that was written during a 193 mile coast-to-coast walk that encompasses the 858m Dollywaggon Pike in the Lake District. The lyrics talk of leaving oneself and embracing the humbling majesty of the surrounding nature. “Get yourself a new skin and keep walking…the one and only. She. The Mother. Mother Earth always wins.” It’s about getting perspective, about feeling smaller but not less, about being part of something much greater and more eternally powerful. The song also challenges toxic culture, men particularly. Check yourself, get outside, respect nature and respect each other – whilst taking the opportunity to befriend a crank that strings up dead moles on chicken wire (if you don’t believe me have a listen for yourself).
Despite sharing themes which such musical heroes as Johnny Flynn and Robert MacFarlane, don’t think that Life’s sound is similar to their brand modern folk. Sonically, Life have much more in common with The Stone Roses, The Killers and Joy Division. Their music is varied, dynamic and bubbling with exuberant energy. Track 6 ‘My Yan’ is much more suited to sound track your boozy summer beach party than ‘Digging For Britain’.
I’ve realised that I’ve already gone on a bit and I feel as if I’ve only just begun. The reason is that this record offers so much that it’s hard not to. As it continues great song follows great song until the gorgeous closing track ‘Morning Fog’ that drifts and ambles its way out to sea like the river it was recorded on the banks of. The hypnotically delivered lyric “I can hear your song your light’s on.” ebbs and flows around your mind until long after the album has finished.
I’m so happy to have stumbled across Life, their new album and their excellent back catalogue – their third ‘North East Coastal Town’ is particularly good. They remind me at times of so many great bands but they are also very much just themselves. They have a strong identity and ethos for the collective and unifying that beautifully imbibes the music that they play. Life have a long established army of fans dubbed Lifers who I now must offer my sincerest and most humble apologies to for being so inexcusably late to the party. I only ask if they can find it within themselves to embrace a newly baptised convert.
