Webs & Marionettes – “Saturday”/”Nicknames”
Webs & Marionettes – “Saturday”/”Nicknames” – Singles Review
Well hell – these three dudes are definitely out to kick not just some, but ALL of the ass out there.
Based out of Oxfordshire in the UK, Webs & Marionettes have a seriously gripping Alt-Rock sound that is as gripping as it is boldly entertaining – and they’ve got BIG plans for this year as well. They’re currently in the recording process of their second record called Bedside Manner, which looks like it comes following a release from back in 2013 of a three-song EP they put out called Aeroplane Of Sugarcanes – though I suppose it’s more likely considered the follow-up to The Empress released more recently two years afterwards in 2015, with songs from 2014. Confusing I know. Either way – clearly it’s been a while – but let me tell ya firsthand, after listening to these new singles they’ve got, it’s obvious the time away has treated them well and that Webs & Marionettes are inspired to be back.
What I love about these two songs combined from this three-piece band, is that you get one really great idea of the diversity & range of sound you’ll likely find on Bedside Manner and a solid clue of what they’re capable of. I honestly couldn’t tell ya which of these songs I like better when it comes right down to it – and they’re both in completely different styles! While I always end up leaning towards the genuine sincerity & melody you’ll find on “Saturday” – I also can’t deny just how much the intense & frantic explosiveness & all-out gripping instrumentation/vocals of “Nicknames” is just about everything my ears wanna hear too. NICE problem for these dudes across the pond to have ain’t it? They’re already spoiled for choice when it comes to the material & music they’re making to entice us in with – and if these singles are any indication of what’s to come on Bedside Manner, then from the sounds of things, Webs & Marionettes are set & ready to create an experience we’re all bound to remember.
We’ll start with their latest single, “Saturday” – seems appropriate & timely given the day of the week we’re putting this review out on being one. PLUS…I suppose if you really NEED another reason as to why I wanna start with that song first – how about because it’s awesome? That enough for ya? Look – I’m playing no favorites when it comes to the order here…but I haven’t lied to ya about my own penchant for melody either – and you get much larger doses of that on “Saturday” than you’ll find on the more amped-up sounds of “Nicknames,” the previous single. So that appeals to me, on a personal level for my own personal taste…I’m not at all necessarily saying one tune is better than the other in the case of these two songs, because quite honestly, they’re both created with top-notch quality all-around. Right from the drop of the playful bounce of the bass-lines that start “Saturday” and the absolutely PERFECT crack in the style/approach of the vocals that reveals that endearing Indie-style you know & love – this single becomes a collage of just about everything I’ve loved from the 90’s on-forward. The roots of “Saturday” feel like the songwriting comes from a real respect for the Alt-Indie genres and the sound itself is a stunning blend of the powerful melodies from the 90’s with a modern-day approach that makes it relevant for the right here & now. From clever stripped-down breakdowns that lay the song bare down to the drums & vocals, to the magnificently impressive vocal harmonies and perfection in the lead, to the 100% memorable hooks they’ve discovered in this sweet song – “Saturday” hits the mark and delivers a welcoming vibe filled with emotion, ideas, music, and vocals that dig in even deeper. There’s something brilliantly raw, honest, and authentically special in the way this track begins – I was stoked to hear them hang on to that magic and ride out “Saturday” to a flawless victory…it’s the kind of song where like, you hear how strong it begins and you hang on throughout that entire first listening, hoping that it’ll stay as incredible as it started. Proud to report it does – exceptional tune, all around.
But then…you see…I end up in this position where, I go right from “Saturday” on my playlist, to the enormously epic and savagely powerful performance you get from Webs & Marionettes on “Nicknames” and I’m in that quandary all over again – which of these tunes really has the edge? Perhaps it’s not even fair to compare them, as different as they truly are. All I know is that, every single time I hear the all-out instrumentation and the unbelievably edgy vocals that come along with “Nicknames” I just instinctively reach for the volume knob to turn this mother UP right to the rafters where a song like this belongs. I’m tellin’ ya, what you’ll hear from the microphone has such an inspired spark and severely gnarly energy to it that it’s got that perfect blend of mayhem & mischief required to pull this song off with the exact vibes it needed. Considering the music around the vocals is firing on all cylinders and pumping out an extreme level of stylistic & skilled sound – what’s happening on the mic needed to bring it just as much – and that’s what you’ll find on “Nicknames” – the balance of power, and the sheer force & passion they play with, roars & rips from your speakers on this lead-single from Bedside Manner. Hearing the punch and straight-up exciting way that Webs & Marionettes storm through “Nicknames” with such impressive instrumentation and ferocious vocals – how they attack this song even in its quietest moments – it all leads to one supremely riotous stomp & groove through a gripping Alt-Rock cut that can’t be ignored. You name it…from bass to drums to guitars to vocals – “Nicknames” has got everything maxxed-out to meet its full potential and the combination of what each player brings to this song reveals what a severe force to be reckoned with that Webs & Marionettes can be any moment they wanna kick into the distortion and turn those amplifiers up loud’n’proud. Wickedly satisfying – “Nicknames” exemplifies what it sounds like to be right there in the moment and giving it everything you’ve got – and the killer results they find throughout this cut will have you cranking this song up all summer long, guaranteed.
And then like, I loop back to “Saturday” – and I happily start my attempt to decide & figure out which of these singles I like better…and so on & so forth…like I’ve been doing all week long. Savagely good band – I’m loving what I hear in Webs & Marionettes and absolutely can’t wait to hear more from’em this year.
Find out more about Webs & Marionettes at their official page at Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/websmusic
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