Saturday 22 April 2017

Single: The Optimists - Not Her

The Optimists - Not Her




Info: The Optimists are Dublin’s newest alt-pop band. Despite forming just under two years ago the band has already made a significant fan base in the capital region as well as Galway, Sligo and further afield. The band is made up of six members; Tom and Axel on rotating lead and rhythm guitar roles, Ronan on bass, Cheese on drums, Heather on vocals and Raaychull on vocals and synth.

The six piece came together in January 2015 and have already added an impressive array of notches to their collective belt. They’ve rattled the ground of Dublin’s premiere music venues and even gotten a little continental. The Button Factory, The Workman’s Club and Whelan’s have all been left shaking in the wake of their natural gift for performance and the enchanting hooks of
their music. With hype building around their highly anticipated single; 'Not Her', they have recently appeared on Soundfeed.com and SPIN 1038’s Plan B.

In their press release for 'Not Her', The Optimists note that the tone and mood of the song contrasts the exuberant and high-energy style which characterises their live shows. In that sense I was surprised when I first listened to it, but no less impressed by quality of the recorded track. O'Grady and Lawrie's vocals and harmonies are truly impressive, and without doubt, they are one of the best pairing of singers in the country. 

Their second single is an indie-pop ballad, and despite the for withdrawn sound, they successfully build the atmosphere to restrained anthemic levels by track's end, with a slow-burning guitar loop and drums carefully and gradually lifting the 'Not Her' to its heart-felt crescendo. The Optimists' live shows speak for themselves, and it's nice now to get a feel for how they transfer to the studio, the next single is eagerly awaited already.


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