The World’s Gone Crazy and So Have I by Nuns of the Tundra – EP Review
Former Worcester Music Festival headliners Nuns of the Tundra release what they believe to be their best work yet in the form of their new EP, “The World’s Gone Crazy and So Have I” . This 4 man Alt Rock band are bringing out this 3 track EP on 19th March, with its lead song C’est La Vie embarking out as a single on 5th March.
After frontman Troy Tittley met the owners of Kore Studios at a BBC Introducing event in London, the boys were lucky enough to be selected to hold a recording session at their venue, after beating off 100s of other enthusiastic artists in a competition. This EP is the result of that winning session.
This dynamic band, which originated in Worcester, used the unusual circumstances brought about by Covid 19 to evolve and experiment with these tracks before heading into the Kore Studios to produce the “rawest and most passionate version of their sound” to date. With all 3 songs being recorded as a full band in full takes, the aim was to produce an EP that would replicate the music as close as possible to how it would be performed live.
First up is Low, which wastes no time in taking the first audible punch with a fuzzy and feisty Muse-esque intro which powers you straight into a high energy attack. The vocals kick in to drape over and balance out the wonderfully jarring beat of the music to narrate a song about the struggles with bipolar, the contrasts between the highest highs and the lowest lows. As the first chorus hits, a silent beat is taken before the music ramps up and takes over, with the musical elements playing their part in emphasising the highs and lows within the track itself. A perfect marriage between lyrics and music to portray such a strong message, despite the highs, how can we still feel so low? The screaming musical cacophony that provides almost the whole last minute of the track is so powerful, representing escapism from your contradicting thoughts, letting it all out and letting go. Drums crash with a heavy beat while the guitars whine with expertise and controlled speed.
The main riff of next track, Gods and Wine is one main songwriter Troy, had in his “back pocket” for a while. When matched with lyrics inspired by a Facebook argument about selfishness, it became a track worthy of recoding. This is a song that vibrates and rumbles with a satisfying riff from the get go, and the first verse takes us down an avenue which personifies greed, getting what you want, no care for cost. A slight change in tempo and a masterful, heavy beat takes us into a defiant chorus to show how greed takes over, as long as they have what they want, Me and Mine, that’s all that matters. Another instrumental bridge shows that these guys can handle intoxicating riffs with ease, creating flavoursome layered pieces that call out with pure vivacity to be played loud and live.
Final track and lead single, C’est La Vie lyrically goes into how we all feel during lockdown, with isolation and sanity at the forefront. With the extra time over lockdown to work on this track, it transformed from straight forward punk rock into the pop rock track we hear today. As Troy describes, “it became this jagged, weird, mirror universe version of the original” . The opening strains are undeniably recognisable as the Nuns, deep and gritty as expected, so it’s the faster paced chorus that turns this song into the infectious tune that will no doubt stick in your head indefinitely. Packed yet again with strapping breakdowns for days, and containing EP title lyric “The Worlds Gone Crazy, So Have I”, this tune is the perfect first single choice. The groove rips through the weirdness of the world right now, a valid representation, seeing as the song was reworked at a time where it was impossible to ignore what was going on.
As Troy states “it was really hard to write anything without looping it back to the state of the world. That’s where the EP title came from, it felt dishonest to call it anything else”.
The world may have gone crazy, but thanks to the stalwart band that is made up of Troy, Daniel, Finn and Tom, we have some thunderous music to get us through!
The Single C’est La Vie out now.
By: Kate Ford