Liverpool (UK) band, Attic Theory, release their latest single, Narrow Lines, today, and we here at the Send Me Your Ears studio are here to tell you that this is an important release and we urge you to download it now.
We never quote press kits word for word, but we’re making an exception here, we’re sure you understand;
Attic Theory will donate 100% of the proceeds received from downloads of ‘Narrow Lines’ on Attic Theory’s webpage to the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), charity number 1110621. CALM is a charity uniting the UK against suicide, the leading cause of death among men under the age of 45 in the UK
Frontman Lewis Wright said: “Our aim with the ‘Narrow Lines’ song and video is to raise more awareness for all those going through difficult times in their lives. The lyrics talk about how you can feel like you’re trapped in a never-ending loop when going through troubling issues and hopefully the song will encourage the listener to reach out to CALM, who offer help, support and information to anyone who is struggling or in crisis.” Lewis adds “We are asking people to download the single from our webpage and unite against suicide. We know that the donations will not only help to change lives, it will also help save lives.”
We fully support this campaign and urge our readers to get involved. Aside from the importance of this charity, Narrow Lines is, in itself, a spectacular single. Starting with the sound of thunder, the song quickly moves into a rocky full band sound.
Verses drop back with some expertly fast-picked palm-muted busy guitar riffs with clear and present vocals sat over the top. The vocals are buzzy and upfront. Every single one of those important lyrics is easily discernible.
By the time you reach the chorus, you are being hit in the face with a chorus of harmonies that explode in your ears. This is really powerful stuff!
“talk me off that ledge I’ll tell you what I fear the most
trapped inside narrow lines I’ve drawn myself”
In just this single sentence, you can hear the passion and call to action in the vocalist. The rise and fall in the track are used extremely effectively, and you feel as though you are on an emotional rollercoaster alongside the band.
The musicianship within each member of Attic Theory is a pleasure to listen to. Each member of the band knows their place in the soundscape and adds to it perfectly with quality performances.
From a production perspective, we felt that a large low shelf boost set around 140Hz with an additional boost around 80-90Hz would really thicken up the track and make the lows and highs more balanced. The top snare mic is peaking a little at around 220Hz so a careful surgical cut here would help it to fit better. There are a couple of gaps in the mix around 300Hz and again around 3kHz which aren’t too noticeable but finding something to fill those gaps might help with the overall fullness of the track. The vocals are very bright and present, To our ears, there is a little too much character in the 8-10kHz range resulting in the vocals seeming a little far forward in the mix. A small cut here on the vocal track would help bring them back a little.
An incredibly important track from some superb musicians. We cannot wait to hear more from Attic Theory and wish them well with their charity campaign.
To get support or access CALM’s helpline, open 5 pm-midnight 365 days a year, head to www.thecalmzone.net