It wasn’t by hearing their screams from a distance that I first heard Heavy Lungs, it was through my incessant listening of another shouty band; IDLES. Heavy Lungs were recommended on their Artist’s Pick a week prior to their Irish gig in Button Factory, a gig I was lucky enough to make off. I actually gave Heavy Lungs a little mention in my review of that gig, where I said they were “chaotic”, and I think that goes for their sound on this EP too.
There are 5 tracks on Abstract Thoughts that in fairness are a pretty decent platform for Heavy Lungs to move on from. While still absolutely chaotic, there is at least some thought put into the construction of each song. They play to their strengths, setting lead singer Danny Nedelko (inspiration behind the IDLES track) up to give it socks on tracks such as “Poster Boy” and “Charmer”. Now, I can’t find any lyrics for the tracks but I doubt he’s singing about kittens and what he’s getting his Ma for Christmas. Nevertheless, he sure means every word.
Their speedy punk sound is most apparent in both “Descend” and “Poster Boy”. In the latter, they rip through some jams and use the last few seconds of the song to bring you back down to Earth. “Abstract Thoughts” is slightly more carefully put together, albeit loud and in your face.
“Stutter”, once it gets going, reminds me slightly of The Offspring or at least that early to mid-90’s sound. You might hear likewise if you give it a listen, but the relation is definitely there in sound while the vocals are kinda lazy, kinda cheeky, kinda really angry. The final track, “Charmer”, combines everything the guys have got to create one of the more composed tracks on the EP. The ending of it makes it for me though because I’m a sucker for drums. And with that finale, Heavy Lungs say goodbye in probably the only way they know how, with meaning, albeit loudly.
G.M
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