Will Saunders EP Oh, It's A Sound is an experience from start to finish.
Beginning with the title track, machine-like drums reverberate and create a landscape in which guitars start to play all over. With a simple riff on one side and some guitar noodling on the other, the song calls out to be experienced live. I wouldn't go so far as to say it is like a 'trance-like experience' as I would leave that to the very awesome and 'Swans' inspired track Hope and Survival.
The second track, Weightlosslollipop completely changes the tone up. With a more accessible guitar and drum sound, you expect to be welcomed with lyrics and melody that would be considered almost alt-pop. Will is singing about Kim Kardashian and the Weightloss lollipop. It is done so well that it sounds catchy, even if you don't always catch the lyrics as they seem sort of hidden in the back. Reading them, it makes sense and it's funny. This sounds a lot like art-rock, having fun with genre, timbre and current events. I'm thinking of a sort of Darcy Clay vibe here.
As mentioned, Hope and Survival feels like a trance-like state. The drums build up and day down constantly. As it starts to get going, the song quickly ends. I can just tell these songs would be perfect for the live situation.
Finally, Will switches it up with a more acoustic track called Pancho and Lefty. The vocals are clearer than any other track. I can hear more clearly the songwriting ability that Will Saunders has here. Lyrically, it is a story about Pancho and Lefty, two characters who seem to be tied up with the Federales. It is nice to hear a simple refrain in this song, 'out of kindness, I suppose.'
This is an EP that screams a live performance. It would allow for more room to play with the song structure on songs like Hope and Survival. While this music might not appeal to everyone, music is about expression and creativity and this certainly ticks all those boxes for me.
Will Saunders is a solo musician writing, recording, producing and performing his music live.
He has released four full length albums and ten solo EP's.
He was the lead singer, songwriter and guitarist for Auckland bands The Quick and the Dead, Bearhat and The Lowest Fidelity.