Crawlers’ debut album cements their position as ones to watch in the music scene

Liverpool locals Holly Minto, Amy Woodall, Liv May, and Harry Breen burst onto the music scene in 2020 and have been going from strength to strength ever since. Crawlers’ debut album has been much awaited since the release of the lead single ‘Would You Come To My Funeral’ last September.

If you had a TikTok account in 2021, it is almost certain that you would be familiar with the chorus of their single ‘Come Over (Again)’. Since then, the band has used this exposure to their advantage, having amassed over 650,000 followers and 31.9 million likes on the platform, creating a dedicated fanbase and community, aptly named ‘Creepy Crawlers’. Just over two years after the release of their self-titled EP in 2021, the alt-rock band’s career has skyrocketed. The quartet are set to play the main stage at Reading and Leeds festival this year, as well as support Mother Mother on their upcoming tour.

Crawlers’ debut album The Mess We Seem To Make sees the four Liverpudlians explore a vast array of emotions, from heartbreak to longing. As the first song, ‘Meaningless Sex’ began to play, I found myself questioning why they chose this particular track to open the album. It did not meet my expectations of an explosive opener. However, as the track continued and the electric guitar kicked in, I began to hear the band’s vision more clearly. That being said, the opening song can’t help but get lost as the album progresses and the band’s talent and lyricism begin to shine through.

Similarly, as the fourth song, ‘Better If I Just Pretend’, started to play, I became concerned that there was not much differentiation between the tracks. They all consisted of a strong and fast-paced drum beat and guitar, and a catchy refrain that is perfectly tailored for a festival crowd to sing along to, but they all have a very alike sound.

From this point on, the album comes into its own.

However, the second that ‘Would You Come To My Funeral’ started to play, this feeling was immediately quashed. A song about the tumultuous range of emotions experienced in the aftermath of a breakup, with an upbeat chorus that is bound to be circling in your head after the first listen, it is clear as to why this song was chosen as Radio 1’s ‘Hottest New Record’ upon its release as a single back in September. “If you came to my funeral / There’s a seat laid out for you” sings Minto.

From this point on, the album comes into its own. ‘Golden Bridge’ is a welcome change from the grunge and rock-inspired songs that litter the album. Minto’s vocals are stripped back, accompanied solely by piano, allowing the focus to fall on her lyricism as she laments that “it hurts to look back”. Minto’s honesty and vulnerability in their raw vocals is a refreshing change within the album, and amongst the music scene in general.

One thing to take away from this debut is that Crawlers certainly know how to craft a chorus that is perfect for a concert crowd. The refrain of ‘Come Over (Again)’, “Take her name out of your mouth / You don’t deserve to mourn,” are the two lines that launched Crawlers into the music scene. The single deserves its place within the debut album as one of the best-produced and most creative songs in the mix.  ‘Call It Love’ sees Minto’s vocals alongside a steady drumbeat and guitar riff, as they detail dependency in relationships.

Crawlers have cemented themselves as one to watch within the music industry.

‘Nighttime Affair’ is a calm closing to the album. Lana Del Rey-esque in its arrangement, the layering of Minto’s vocals above the string instruments as they claim that they are “worthy and you don’t deserve me” create an almost ethereal-like quality to the music, categorising it as a standout within the album due to its contrasting sound.  In an interview with NME, the band disclosed how they strive to make music that is “genreless and genderless”, and nothing showcases this more than the difference between the first and last songs on the album. One is characterised by its grunge influence, while the other is sombre and mellow.

The honesty in their songwriting is where Crawlers shine the most. Despite a slightly disappointing beginning to the album, the Liverpool band claw it back. The difference between the sounds of the tracks from the middle of the record serves to take the listener on a journey of emotions, as well as exposing the band’s lyricism at its best. With The Mess We Seem To Make, Crawlers have cemented themselves as one to watch within the music industry.

Recommended listening: ‘Would You Come To My Funeral’, ‘Nighttime Affair’

★★★