EP Review: Nothing Wrong

I am on a train journey into Auckland today with Will Saunders’ (from The Lowest Fidelity) latest collection of songs as co-passenger. Pulling out of Papakura and the first track, Nothing Wrong, has a drum beat to match the rhythm of the train on the track. It is a howl of buzz saw guitars and it spits raw energy like early stooges meets Syd Barrett. It needs to be played loud and its refrain of “there’s nothing wrong with you and me”, is stuck in my brain as the train gets stuck in Manukau. 

We ease into Shame as the guitar now punches and punctuates a song that seems to be lamenting that the more things change the more they stay the same. It is a short track but a clever use of melody in the chorus stands out.  

All Those Days is interesting (unlike Puhinui station) as we change track and roll along with a slice of acoustic melancholic folk. It is in contrast to the blazing sun shining through the train window but the person who is centre of the story was certainly having a rainy day/life.

Which leads us nicely to our final destination, a cover of 60’s band The Cascades’ Listen To The Rhythm of the Falling Rain. It sounds like the original played at twice the speed with Will’s higher pitched vocals adding to the uniqueness. A smidgen of The Beatles is a nice touch and this version of the song is definitely worth checking out (unlike most covers).

It will be interesting to see what Will does with these songs as Nothing Wrong will fit well with his other Lowest Fidelity material and if they are left as is or do become part of something else there is enough diversity here to make sure that the Will Saunders train keeps on rolling. Let’s hope you get to check him out on a station near you soon.