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* Shoegaze * Indie * Post-Rock * Grunge * Dream Pop * Psych-Rock * Ethereal *
ARTIST..: Weedipus
ALBUM...: Demo Tape
GENRE...: Indie
STYLE...: Dream Pop, Shoegaze, Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Garage Rock
YEAR....: 2020
LABEL...: Not On Label / Self-Released
COUNTRY.: United Kingdom
PLACE...: Barnsley, South Yorkshire
ENCODER.: FLAC 1.3.1 -8 -V
BITRATE.: 843 kbps avg
QUALITY.: 44.1kHz / 2 channels
SOURCE..: CDREP
TRACKS..: 4
SIZE....: 81.79 MB
URL..: http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/weedipus
- TRACKLIST
1 Honest 3:26
2 Broken Boy 3:17
3 Places To Go 3:41
4 We Both Know 3:05
Total Playtime: 13:29
"Olivia and Zach Duvall live together so as the world plunged into a
pandemic, they did the only thing they could and formed a band." - Louder
than War .
*
Andy Brown finds Weedipus producing some psychedelically-inclined dream pop
in South Yorkshire and reviews their Demo Tape EP for Louder Than War.
First of all, let's hear it for the humble EP. An often underused format,
long enough to pique your interest but short enough to leave you wanting
more. Weedipus, the new dream pop outfit from Barnsley, have released a
couple of singles but Demo Tape feels like we're getting a proper
introduction. The band was put together during lockdown by housemates and
musical kindred spirits, Olivia Thawley (vocals/guitar) and Zach Duvall
(backing vocals/guitar).
Honest sets the scene with a rush of fuzzy guitars and heavenly harmonies.
Thawley's vocals are gentle and subsumed in the hazy mix, giving the track a
distinctly woozy, euphoric feel. Broken Boy turns up the distortion and
evokes their shoegaze forebearers with a great balance between joyful noise
and pop sensibilities. Places To Go sounds better with each subsequent
listen, Thawley's vocals utterly hypnotic as the song swings through its
effortless, dream pop melody. The EP comes to a close with We Both Know,
another subtly urgent yet melancholic slice of lo-fi fuzz. Thawley calling
cryptically through the wall-of-guitars, "what a feeling to forget".
This is a band that knows a thing or two about making a solid and authentic
indie EP. Duvall released an album with his jangle-pop outfit, Regional
Creeps, only last year. Clearly, he's on something of a roll. Thawley and
Duvall have spent their lockdown wisely and formed a new and rather brilliant
songwriting partnership. It's a collaboration that's already paying off. Demo
Tape is jam packed with promise and potential, a suitably tantalising glimpse
into the band's dreamy, lo-fi world.
*
Weedipus are a newly formed two piece from Yorkshire which consists of Olivia
and Zach and who have just released their rather exquisite demo of four
songs, Honest, Broken Boy, Places To Go, and finally my personal favourite,
We Both Know.
Their sound is a beautifully brazen throwback to 90's pop-goth which remains
on the ever so slightly heavier side of shoegaze. Think of an unwieldy
cauldron of Slowdive or maybe House of Love, bubbling up with a pinch of My
Bloody Valentine, a wing of Joy Formidable, throw in a splash of The Orielles
marinated in a vat of Honeyblood and voila! - the perfect Weedipus content.
The Honeyblood comparison comes from the wonderfully nectar laden vocals with
are backed up with enough complexity in the music to hook you and yet, still
remain ever so slightly mysterious, thus ensuring that the music doesn't show
its hand at the first opportunity, enabling it to demand further listening
and probing so you can uncover the depths within the layers the band have
spun.
I really get the sense they'd be top drawer live too I can feel it. Though
for everyone's sanity at the moment, I think that's a stone best left
unturned.
Listen to it when?
Listen to it when you're mood is wistful. The perfect accompaniment to any
reflective space you chose to inhabit in your life. Your commute (if there
are any left to be had now), that languid bath time or on a dank, rainy
Wednesday.
*
Andy Brown reviews Places To Go for Louder Than War, the debut single by
South Yorkshire dreampop outfit Weedipus. - July 8, 2020
Lockdown hasn't exactly been a laugh a minute yet art, music and creativity
has clearly provided a safety net for many of us. Songwriters Olivia Thawley
(vocals/guitar) and Zach Duvall (backing vocals/guitar) live together so as
the world plunged into a pandemic, they did the only thing they could and
formed a band. They plan to release their debut EP, Demo Tape, by the end of
summer.
Forming a band in the midst of a worldwide health crisis can't be the easiest
of things but Weedipus have made a pretty solid start. The track (and
upcoming EP) was recorded at home then mixed by Andrey Pavlovic of
Allusinlove, the pandemic making the project as DIY as it's possible to be.
Duvall is no stranger to DIY having recorded one of my favourite indiepop
albums of 2019 with his other band, Regional Creeps. When everything calms
down Giannis Kipreos, Duvall's songwriting partner in Regional Creeps, will
be joining the band on bass duties.
Places To Go drifts in on a bed of MBV fuzz and indiepop sensibilities, the
band establishing their shoegaze credentials from the very start. It isn't
easy to make out the words, the song very much thriving on its gorgeous,
dreamlike atmosphere. Thawley's smooth tones are nevertheless essential to
the sound, a cool call through the clouds of hazy guitars. Listen carefully
and you'll hear a rather relatable tale, "Locked up inside a tiny hole/ How
long we'll stay here I don't know".
The song offers up just the right amount of intrigue for a debut single; a
catchy, cool and suitably out-of-focus introduction to a promising new band.
We all need a little escapism at the moment and what better way to escape
then to immerse yourself in a little bit of lo-fi, DIY dreampop? So, you
haven't managed to bake the perfect banana bread or write a critically
lauded, best-selling novel? Nevermind. You can still listen to Places To Go.
*
Floating in a daze of fuzz, reverb and ethereal vocals, Weedipus' debut EP
takes you to places you can only dream of...
Barnsley-based duo Weedipus are set to release their debut EP 'Demo Tape' on
28th August, and after a busy year of already recording and releasing two
singles, the duo's grungey-shoegaze concoction has certainly created a high
level of anticipation surrounding their debut mini album.
The four-track EP contains prior releases 'Broken Boy' and debut single
'Places To Go' amongst additional tracks 'Honest' and 'We Both Know'. Opening
with 'Honest', the EP lures you in with a moderate build-up of fuzzy guitars,
reverb and aesthetic chordal modulation that leads into a dreamy plain of
melodic ecstasy. The track serves as a seriously strong opener by showcasing
the band's genre in an addictive style of catchy vocal melodies, rich
instrumental tones and infectious rhythms.
Following 'Honest' is 'Broken Boy' which sees a grungier influence take a
hold of the music's direction. Introducing itself with a gritty clash of
overdriven guitars and hard-hitting drumbeats, the static energy of the intro
skyrockets. The verses flow around the angelic tone of the vocals, which
although soft, have an unbreakable hold over the heavier music, creating a
luscious blend of harmonies in the chorus. Again, the chord patterns don't
adhere to predictability, keeping the excitement of the song consistently
travelling on an incline.
Third on the track listing is debut single 'Places To Go' which has already
developed a strong buzz around the up and coming band. Featuring captivating
guitar riffs, overdriven chords, flowing adlibs and a substantially cool
rhythm section, the track demonstrates a model example of new-wave shoegaze.
Seeing impactful choruses and accessible melodies, 'Places To Go' will cement
itself as a fan-favourite for a long time.
Closing the EP is 'We Both Know' and let me tell you, it's a bloody
incredible closing track to leave the listeners desperate for more. Grasping
a darker aura than the rest of the EP, the music holds a grungey, doom-like
feel to it. Following a melodious opening riff, heavily reverberated vocals
hold a strong narrative over the track as we hear them explore a higher level
of force throughout the tracks sections. Fuzzy rhythm guitars are played
throughout its duration which create a unique pad under the music, radiating
a gritty yet, fluid sound.
Weedipus have managed to compose the strongest debut EP I've heard in a long
time, utilising influential elements from other genres to create their own
unique stamp. With this only being their debut release, I cannot wait to hear
what they have in store for us next.
*
This weeks Dreaminisfree's Album of the Week is technically an EP as its four
tracks, but that takes nothing away from the utter brilliance of Weedipus's
debut Demo Tape.
Formed whilst living together when the world plunged into a pandemic, they
did the only thing they could and formed a band. Weedipus are songwriters
Olivia Thawley and Zach Duvall. Turns out this band, is one of the best
things to happen since lockdown.
I've been absolutely hooked since their debut single 'Places to Go' dropped
26 June. It's an incredible debut with exquisite vocals, lofty lo-fi riffs
and a vibe that sits perfectly between grunges hey day and the latter day
brilliance of bands like Wolf Alice.
Their second single 'Broken Boy' has a grungier more heavy indie riff to it
showing that they're not just dreamy floaty songs, they can right a tune to
get the juices flowing also!
The other tracks on Demo Tape 'Honest' sits somewhere between the first two
singles and 'We Both Know' has a melancholic feel to it, however it doesn't
leave you feeling sad and that's down their sublime riffs and harmonies.
Demo Tape is available to stream or you can buy the physical CD for the
princely sum of a fiver (which I did). I drove to Liverpool from Manchester
last week and this album was on a loop the whole way there and back in my CD
player - I was so chilled I was practically levitating!
I'm honestly stunned that these guys literally got together a few months ago
and when I reached out to them to see if they would be interested in a mini
interview they agreed (result)!
One word I'd choose to describe this debut EP? Exquisite. For fans of Bully,
Wolf Alice, Smashing Pumpkins, Placebo, PJ Harvey
Dreaminisfree: So Weedipus sprung into life from lockdown as both Olivia and
Zach were in lockdown together due to sharing the same house. Did you guys
play together much pre-lockdown?
Weedipus: We have never played together before. Zach was just in his other
band Regional Creeps at the time and I (Liv) play piano but I wasn't in a
band or anything like that.
Dreaminisfree: Were you always going to be in a band together anyway and
lockdown was the push that you needed?
Weedipus: We were always going to try something and we were both furloughed
in lockdown which gave us all the time in the world! With no distractions, we
could create something that we both really enjoy.
Dreaminisfree: Where does the name come from?
Weedipus: It a combination of ideas. My nickname as a kid was "Weedy" because
of my weedy hair, so we started with that. We then took the play on words of
"Oedipus" and thus "Weedipus" was born!
Dreaminisfree: Who are your influences?
Weedipus: Our main influences are Jeff Buckley, for his song-writing, both
lyrically and musically. PJ Harvey, Smashing Pumpkins, but we could be here
forever to be honest, haha!
Dreaminisfree: Your sound has a real Wolf Alice meets Smashing Pumpkins feel
to it. It's slightly retro but there's a compelling newness that makes you
want to keep going back to it to listen again and again (at least it does me
anyway). The debut EP is stunning, do you have any more unreleased material
to record?
Weedipus: Yeah, it's really humbling to be likened to those bands and we're
really happy that you're enjoying the EP. We don't like to stick to one
specific genre or how we think we "should" sound. Instead, we try to
incorporate all sorts of different techniques into our songwriting to come up
with something that can surprise us, or more importantly the listener.
Because of this, each song can sound quite different to the next and draw
from a lot of different influences. We never stopped writing, the songs from
our recent EP 'DemoTape' are just the first four songs we wrote together as
Weedipus. We're sitting on more unreleased demos and we plan on continuing,
most definitely.
Dreaminisfree: What's your plan once we come out of lockdown/gig
restrictions?
Weedipus: GIG GIG GIG. This is the thing we both love to do, so we're gonna
look at a Weedipus launch ASAP. After that we'll play wherever we're wanted.
Dreaminisfree: Have managed to perfect banana bread in lockdown?
Weedipus: Not quite, but we managed to pull the shed down and make the garden
over, haha!
(We'd also like to express our gratitude for all the support we've received
in such a challenging time).
- https://www.dreaminisfree.co.uk/post/album-of-the-week-weedipus-demo-tape
- https://pointnemo123.medium.com/on-weedipus-places-to-go-a-chat-w-zach-duvall-9c1b4dad4b24
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Dream Pop
is a subgenre of
alternative rock and neo-psychedelia
that emphasizes atmosphere and sonic texture as much as pop
melody. Common characteristics include breathy vocals, dense productions,
and effects such as reverb, echo, tremolo, and chorus. It often
overlaps with the related genre of shoegaze, and the
two genre terms have at times been
used interchangeably.
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