Newcomers Seasonal take inspiration from bands such as Deaf Havana and Taking Back Sunday and their debut EP ‘Bloom’ is an enjoyable array of pop rock.
The EP starts off with ‘Certainty’. Beginning with echoed guitars playing a simple riff, they set the emotion for the track. The guitars and drums are typical of pop rock, and Matt Truseler’s vocals fit the genre by adding a crisp and clear storyline. The bridge strips back to echoed guitars once more, and suddenly there is a breakdown section where the guitars and drums surge into a full-on instrumental.
Although a welcomed contrast, they use familiar material which is vital when writing music; us humans love repetition and familiarity, after all. ‘Homeward’ starts off slow with the arpeggiated guitars, slow drums and sad lyrics: “Rest well my friend, it’s hard to think you won’t come back again. I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you met your end, but I’ll say my goodbyes just like this instead.” They suggest the track is about a loss of a friend – a topic close to a lot of our hearts. This is a beautifully written track straight from the heart, which shows from the first stroke of the guitar to the last beat of the drum.
Seasonal have chosen some personal topics to write their songs about, making them loveable and easy to relate to our own lives. Their music is creative, varied, and full of emotion and it’s a real pleasure to listen to some fresh pop rock written by a passionate group of people.
EMMA GREVESON