Since their formation in 2013, Rebel Westerns have managed churned out consistently excellent disco-inspired pop singles.
They return, backed by new guitarist John Cargill, with the release of new single ‘Envy’.
The track is heavily indebted to The 1975 and follows the same formula as their most recent material, with the sparse electronic intro and verses being particularly indebted to the Mancunian megastars.
Vocalist Dominic Thomson sings of unwelcome lust and desire as he sings “I’m in a war with anatomy, my body is my enemy” before layers upon layers of synths kick in on the chorus.
From then on, it all gets a bit much, with Rebel Westerns trying to achieve too many different things simultaneously.
Consequently, ‘Envy’ sounds clustered, with far too much going on for anything to stand out, and as a result, a potentially great modern pop hook is lost amongst the racket.
Words: Graham McCusker
