There’s just something about Newfoundland and Labrador that manages to churn out cream-of-the-crop bands, from rising stars Soap Opera to the unforgettable Great Big Sea.
The latest in this long line of high-flying Newfoundland bands, Mile Twenty Five, have dropped their debut album Just in Case with more gusto than you can shake a fish at. Comprised of frontman Peter Welsh, drummer Carter Fancy, guitarist Marcel Reid and bassist Nathan Manuel, the band delivers an eclectic champion of a debut, backed by themes centred around the prices we pay to grow up, such as heartbreak and responsibility.
The group branches effortlessly into a variety of styles while maintaining a consistency to their core sound at the same time. Leading the charge are “Tattoo” and “Somewhere Out There,” sacrificing a tad of the rock element, for a poppier vibe with many tinges of sorrow; the former a bittersweet pine, the latter with far more emphasis on the “bitter.” Both are top-notch tunes, with more than enough melody to be mainstays on anyone’s mixtape.
Around the album’s middle is where the band’s old-school rock genes activate. “Living The Dream” absolutely pops with energy as Welsh champions grabbing life by the horns and smiling the whole way through, while “Must’ve Been A Five” is a scrumptiously-melodic, feel-good bop about the beauty of growth. “Life To Live,” previously released as a single, shows off some of Welsh’s finest cadence, demanding that we overpower our fears in our bid on the life path.
The album’s two most unique numbers round off the seven-entry collection, one of them being Mile Twenty Five’s inaugural single, “Riverside Drive,” a beautifully-crafted love letter to the band’s hometown, utilizing pristine instrumentation and effects to place it among the album’s best.
Finally, “Waiting” is perhaps the best example of what the band has shown they’re capable of with this album. By drawing from its themes of nostalgia and hope from its pop and rock-leaning sides, respectively, the tune casts the brightest light upon the band’s personality. As if that weren’t enough, they also take this opportunity to branch into an entirely new style, foregoing some fast-paced components for a gentler, acoustic lull.
With a clear-as-day creative vision and four talented musicians running the show, Mile Twenty Five’s name is surely a prophetic one; this band can go places.