When Genius of the Crowd released their debut single I Won’t back in July, I tipped it as a ‘promising manifesto of what’s to come’ – and unlike political parties, the Stoke-on-Trent indie outfit has delivered above and beyond what we could have expected from them.
Over the last nine months, Matt Frederick, Jack Baker, Matt White, Sam Galway and Dave Smith have been some of the most prolific musicians in the scene, relentlessly gigging while distributing a string of singles from Not The Problem, to Hurts Just The Same. What’s particularly impressive, though, is that none of these tracks – despite their quick succession – are throwaway records. Each and every one of them has been absolutely class, and their fifth, Alive Tonight, proves that Genius of the Crowd have no intention of taking their foot off the gas.
Alive Tonight emerges with a compelling narrative that’s as thought-provoking as it is catchy, with pulsating guitar riffs and infectious rhythms serving as the perfect backdrop for the introspective narrative.
Beneath its lively exterior lies a thought-provoking reflection on the destructive nature of escapism. The band explained: “We are all searching for something to make us feel more than the mundanity and boredom of everyday life. Whether that’s pills at a rave on a Saturday, boxing in a ring, racing motorbikes, creating a piece of art, drinking yourself into oblivion, or in this case, sex. But the real question is, are the vices we use to escape really worth the time?
“Alive Tonight is a track that tries to explore this. We’ve all heard hundreds of songs about being cheated on, but have we looked at it from the other point of view… the cheater? Throughout Alive Tonight, we try to ask the question of whether utilising vices that are destructive are really worth the escape.”
They continued: “We aimed to make a song that represented the situation in question musically, it’s up beat and we want it to make people move, as if they were in the mind of the protagonist. But underlying the up beat, joyful, dance nature of the song, lies the real question of whether the vices we use not only are destructive to us, but are destructive to those around us. We want Alive Tonight to make you feel something, but consider, is what’s making you feel alive, really worth it?”
In their exploration of cheap thrills and their consequences, Genius of the Crowd pulls no punches. With its anthemic and spirited chorus, searing honesty, and blistering riffs, it’s a testament to the band’s prowess as storytellers and musicians.
Their innate ability to blend their catchy guitar-driven sound with profound lyricism, alongside their ‘all killer no filler’ approach marks them as a band to watch in the indie scene. Listen to Alive Tonight, released March 29, here:
