Clench is one of the many bands that has came out of the Glasgow alternative music scene, this four piece has recently come out with their latest EP, Better Peace of Mind, filled with catchy songs, emotive lyrics and the signs of a great new band.
The EP opens with ‘Breathe’ giving signs straight from the get go of a brilliant rock album getting underway, it begins with an epic guitar and drums, which lasts for about forty seconds before vocals are introduced.
Ally Clark’s vocals prove pitchy in some places but generally work well to capture the romantic feel of the song, “watch yourself going too far, hold it back/be who you are”.
‘Breathe’ is an instant crowd pleaser, with the instrumental aspect keeping it rocky among romantic lyrics, another guitar solo kicks off near the end, showing off the skills Lewis Mercer.
‘Take Over’ shows a darker side to the band, with dark and mellow guitar playing starting off this song, it’s less impressive than ‘Breathe’ with an awkward transition from dark and heavy to upbeat; the strained vocals throughout simply doesn’t do the band’s first display of skill justice.
However, they quickly redeem themselves with ‘Better Peace of Mind’, which proves to be more punk rock keeping it fresh and interesting; the vocals also shine here, with Clark keeping to soft and within his range, making for much easier listening.
Closing off this EP is ‘Everyone’, an acoustic guitar based song building up deeper and darker into the vocals and throughout the track, Clark again keeps to softer vocals, keeping the general tone emotive and deep rounding up the EP perfectly.
Better Peace of Mind comes from three years of hard graft and shows what they’re made of; expect a lot more from Clench.
Words: Emma Tomlinson
