Hellooo! This morning Lawson released Used to Be Us from their forthcoming album, Perspective which will be released next Friday! Used to Be Us is a song that they have played at their gigs since their return last year and I've always been a fan of it so of course I couldn't wait to hear the studio version! There's no video for it but it is available on iTunes and all of the usual places and I will leave a link to the live version of the track at the end of this post. Let's get started!
Catchy is an understatement! I am certain that this song will continue to be stuck in my head for a while to come. The passion behind Andy's vocals proves that everything about the band and the song is genuine and I'm over the moon to be hearing new music from Lawson!
The song opens with a mystical intro followed by heavy delays on Andy's vocals and thick backing vocals in the first verse. The chorus blasts through in true Lawson style with layers of guitars and mighty drums along with Andy's vocals sitting comfortably on top. There are a lot more harmonies and backing vocals than the usual Lawson track but I really like the powerful effect it gives. The song really builds as it runs its course before it pulls back for the more reserved middle 8. The final chorus launches with a growling lyric from Andy before introducing amazingly intricate guitar riffs from Joel and bringing epic drums from Adam and rumbling bass from Ryan.
On the production side of things, there are moments where Andy's vocals seem to battle to be heard among the elements within the song but aside from that, the track is well balanced and I like the use of panning throughout the song. The guitar tones used are strong and work well together and I love the drum roll before the second chorus and how it travels the full stereo width before the chorus kicks in. Throughout the song, the kick and snare drums cut through the wall of guitars perfectly and the toms sound huge, fitting in well with the track. I also love the final strums of the electric guitar at the end where you can really hear the gritty tone.
Used to Be Us has a rocky feel with chanting backing vocals throughout and defined guitar riffs wrapped around the track. It has a powerful vibe that wouldn't be out of place in concert at an arena and I imagine this song will be a favourite among the fans (including myself)! If the songs that have been released so far are anything to go by, Perspective is going to be an awesome album! I have also reviews Lawson's previous singles Where My Love Goes and Money along with last year's Winter Tour. Can you tell I'm a fan?
Thanks for reading! Sophie
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