The Sheffield Scenester

The Wynells are a 4-piece indie rock band from Sheffield. They have been gigging out and about for just over two years in mainly Sheffield and the surrounding areas, where they are trying to make a name for themselves. They have worked really hard to secure the songs for this 5-track EP, which they have played out live quite a bit in Sheffield and are now hoping to branch out and let crowds from other cities here their music. I really like the artwork for the guys’ EP, which, I am told, was all created by the band themselves. It is like a hole in the road kind of thing, which encapsulates a black and white view of Sheffield from almost a fish’s eye view or basically the view of somebody looking up at the city.

The first track on the EP is “Moving On.” It begins with a strong guitar riff and a heavy drum beat, followed by James Whitworth’s vocals, which, I believe, bear a great resemblance to those of Ricky Wilson’s from the Kaiser Chiefs, who, I am sure are one of their influences. It sounds very polished and could easily be a sort of road trip anthem. It is something you would probably listen to while driving and head nodding along.

The next track is “Dying Along with the Day” which has a ska/reggae rock feel to it, a little bit like local bands, the Arkham karvers and Smiling Ivy. The instrumental parts have been put together really well and I especially like the way the ska sound is blended with the gentle, almost acoustic sound of the guitars. This, again, gives an element of the road trip vibe, sort of like a classic, anthemic rhythm. However, I think that the vocals sound quite different to what you would expect from a song with an instrumental rhythm like this and I think they clash quite a bit. I don’t think the two go together very well and it sounds like two different songs playing together at the same time. I think it would be better to have the ska rhythm with a different kind of vocals; and the vocals used in this song could be put together with a more indie rock sound.

“Devil’s Child” is another one of those good old indie tunes and combines the exciting electric guitars, fast drum beats and sharp, witty vocals with a strong Yorkshire accent.

“28 Thousand Days” is up next and it is so catchy that once you have it stuck in your head, it will be there for the rest of the day. It reminds be a bit of the Cribs and there is a touch of the View in there as well, I am thinking. I reckon it is one of those songs that you can just see yourself drunkenly dancing around to in a small pub with a bunch of sweaty men in skinny jeans…ha ha!

The last track is “Do You Want More,” which is pretty similar to “28 Thousand Days” with the catchy vocals, indie guitars and a fantastic energy. I can just imagine a bunch of under the influence students singing this song, standing outside on the Boardwalk steps, in the early hours of a Sunday morning! A brilliant way to end what is a cracking EP…plus, someone must fill that hole in the road – it’s a health and safety hazard!

Words by Shirley Bell