I'm not drunk, but I am intoxicated!
Feralus are a band of three females who play catchy tunes with some amazing harmonies. The great thing is that like the type of cat that they take their band's name from, the three may look like sweet felines, but behind that facade is a streetwise attitude and I would imagine a toughness that is ready to pounce at any moment.
First song, Footsteps And Silhouettes will possibly leave you open mouthed as the harmonised vocals kick in over piano keys. The open lyrics of relationships have an honesty which is so often missing, and come over great with the clear English accents that are like Kate Nash, but without being fake. The Cold Boy has a gentle beat and an almost Gaelic-feel to song that has a hint of traditional highland-folk about it. Lyrically it tells the tale of a male whose actions are not seen as favourable. "You spit your hatred // Your macho bullshit // You blame the world // No more thought over it..." go the opening lines.
All through this EP there is a collision of the good and bad, or the pleasant and the morbid as opposites come together. A good example of this is in the nice song, Skinny Bones, where musically the guitar plucks away like an angel playing a harp, the aforementioned winged bearers of goodness sound like they are singing beautifully over the top, however when you listen to the lyrics you understand that angels live amongst us, with smudged faces and they proclaim the very real observations of life: "We sleep in a heap // on the floor or on a bed // in a tangle of limbs// and alcohol breath // I got whisky breath..." they admit at one point. Then in Pin Song they are not afraid to admit that, "I want to stick a pin // Between your eyes // to deflate all that makes you blind // And your borrowed politics // Really don't mean shit..."
The last deserves a paragraph of its own so that is exactly what I have done. Throats is a lovely poetic song that shows an unwarranted insecurity, whilst an incredibly wise outlook on the world around us. Musically its a great folk song with a Frank Turner groove, but more importantly it adds the cherry to this whole musical treat. It's a song that like the others you want to hear more, and instantly you wonder what other music is currently pouring out of these three.
Perkie, Katie Raine and Ren Alderidge, really do give us something special. I am aware of Ren with her two songs that I have reviewed recently, but with the added 'oomph' of the other two we get a more rounded feel. These girls certainly have a punk attitude, with relevant honest lyrics, and a good melody. Also, I have to say that when my car has broken down I have been more likely to swear like a sailor, or turn green with rage, however these three manage to write and record a song about the RAC whilst waiting for the said breakdown service to arrive. That in itself shows a humour and a bucket load of talent. This is great stuff, and I look forward to hearing more.