“It’s mad that they are out in the world now!”: Crawlers’ Amy Woodall on the band’s debut album

Alt-rock band Crawlers emerged from the Liverpool music scene following the release of their self-titled EP in 2021. Since then, the band has found TikTok fame with the hit ‘Come Over (Again)’ and successfully released their mixtape Loud Without Noise. The much-awaited debut album, The Mess We Seem To Make, has been years in the making. However, it was certainly worth the wait. The Merseyside quartet have crafted an album perfect for their loyal following of self-proclaimed outsiders, combining impactful and poignant lyrics with powerful guitar riffs.

When talking to Crawlers’ guitarist Amy Woodall on the release day of the band’s debut album, The Mess We Seem To Make, her excitement just transmitted through the phone. “It’s a bit mad,” exclaims Woodall. “Some of those songs are about four years old. It’s mad that they are out in the world now!”

“We’ll try and be as ambiguous as possible so that people can feel like they can have the song as well as it being ours”

Amy Woodall, Crawlers

The alt-rock album covers a wide spectrum of topics, ranging from mental health to heartbreak and dependency. Penning tracks that are infused with such meaningful themes draw a tight connection between the four-piece and their dedicated fanbase.

“What we try to do when we’re writing is tell enough of the story,” explains Woodall when discussing fellow bandmate and lead singer, Holly Minto’s, writing process. While many of the songs detail Minto’s own experiences and observations, the band still attempts, successfully, to curate the tracks in a manner that the listeners can still relate to the lyricism. “We’ll try and be as ambiguous as possible so that people can feel like they can have the song as well as it being ours,” says Woodall.

This masterful lyricism is woven seamlessly through the album, from the opening song ‘Meaningless Sex’ to the ethereal-sounding closer ‘Nighttime Affair’. A particular standout is ‘What I Know Is What I Love’, a grunge-infused track, which demonstrates Minto’s angsty vocals at their best. “You are my carbon monoxide alarm / And you made me take out the batteries,” sings Minto.

Additionally, the ordering of the tracks is illustrated by Woodall as a “trial-and-error process”.“It was a pretty bold move to put ‘Meaningless Sex’ on there,” proclaims Woodall as she explains how ‘Messiah’ and ‘That Time of Year Always’, which were released as singles in June and do not feature on the album, were supposed to be the opening songs on the album. However, it was clear that ‘Nighttime Affair’ was the closing track the second they wrote it, “we knew that we wanted to close the album with ‘Nightime Affair’ when we initially wrote it”. Despite this, Woodall describes it as the “least ‘Crawlers’ song,” as it diverts the alt-rock sound that the quartet have honed throughout the album, demonstrating how Crawlers are determined to not be placed in a box in terms of their sound.

“[‘Come Over (Again)’] was the first song that was really story-driven and the first song that really went into this new songwriting style”

Woodall

Sonically, each song, particularly towards the end of the album, brings something different to the album. “I think we’ve always done right by a song,” notes Woodall. “We always try and go in and think: ‘What is the identity of this song?’ Not ‘Where does it sit in relation to everything else?’” Nothing encapsulates this more than the stripped-back ballad ‘Golden Bridge’, which features Minto’s raw vocals accompanied solely by a piano melody. When discussing the process of crafting these tracks, Woodall notes how it’s not a straightforward process, “even when we think we’re done, [producer] Pete [Robertson] is like ‘no, try again’,” she laughs.

Producer Pete Robertson, who has previously worked with artists such as beabadoobee, as well as being the original drummer of The Vaccines, has collaborated with the band at Coastal Studios since the releases of ‘Come Over (Again)’ and ‘MONROE’. Staying true to their Liverpool roots was integral to the band when crafting their debut album, the River Mersey even received a mention in ‘Golden Bridge’. “When it got to doing the album, we shopped around: we went to LA, we went to London, we did all these pretty big things, and not that it wasn’t good, but it just didn’t feel like us and it didn’t feel right,” explains Woodall. “We had to put our foot down a bit and say we’re doing it here in Liverpool with Pete and that’s what’s going to make the best album and that’s what we want”. Evidently, working within a comfortable setting was the right move for the band, as they were able to push boundaries with their music, alongside a producer, or as Woodall refers to him “a fifth member of the band,” that knows their sound well.

The emergence of the band’s dedicated fanbase followed Crawler’s TikTok fame when the lyrics of their 2021 release ‘Come Over (Again)’ became a viral sound: “Take her name out of your mouth / you don’t deserve to mourn”. These two lines launched the band’s name into the music scene. Consequently, despite being recorded over two years before the first discussion about the album, the song found its place on the record. “[‘Come Over (Again)’] was the first song that was really story-driven and the first song that really went into this new songwriting style, it actually fit really well with all the themes of the album, and sonically as well,” comments Woodall. “Also, our manager was like, ‘In twenty years if someone finds your vinyl in a charity shop or wherever, it will be really special if that song is on it’, which is true.”

“I think a lot of it comes down to the fans themselves, they help and have built this community”

Woodall

The sense of community that the band has achieved, particularly through social media, is something so special to the quartet. As they began to gain popularity at the tail-end of the pandemic, social media was the obvious solution to harvesting a connection with their ever-growing fandom. Having now accumulated over 680,000 followers on TikTok, their page allows followers to see the real side of the band, as well as being the perfect place for fans to meet other fans. Alongside this, their social media has become a safe space for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, something that has also translated into their gigs.

“I think a lot of it comes down to the fans themselves, they help and have built this community,” says Woodall. “They’re the ones standing in the queues at 10 o’clock in the morning and making sure that everyone is ok.”

Crawlers make sure to maintain this relationship with their dedicated fanbase, known as the ‘Creepy Crawlers’. For example, discord channels are set up for each gig, whether in the UK, Europe, or America, so that fans can meet each other beforehand. “We try and give to them as much as we can,” states Woodall. This fanbase will no doubt receive some new members after the triumphant release of The Mess We Seem To Make.

2024 has gone off with an explosive start for the alt-rock band, supporting Mother Mother on their UK tour and being announced to play the main stage at Reading and Leeds festival, as well as the release of their debut album. Their determination to construct songs that, not only can their loyal listeners relate to, but sonically push boundaries secures Crawlers’ position as alternative music’s next big artist. The band’s commitment to not being labelled in terms of their musical sound builds anticipation for their next release. Where will this sound take them? At this moment, the band are unsure, but one thing we know for certain is that The Mess We Seem To Make is just the beginning for Crawlers.

The Mess We Seem To Make is available on all music platforms now