The Rions’ sophomore EP shows off their creative range
Image: Photo credit: The Rions
Hailing from the Northern Beaches, The Rions have released their second EP Happiness In A Place It Shouldn’t Be which has gained significant traction in the past few weeks after the EP’s first single and opening track Sweet Cocoon reached no.1 on Triple J’s Most Played Tracks chart. The band’s frontman Noah Blockley has high praise for the quartet’s latest work, saying in a statement on the band’s website, “This is the most genuine we’ve ever been with our stories, and we’re thrilled to share it with you all”.
For a six-track record, The Rions have demonstrated both their musical capabilities and their expansive musical range. There are hard and fast paced rock songs such the first two tracks Sweet Cocoon and Passionfruit, soft acoustic and piano ballads like Time Will Try and The Part, and even 80s-style synth rock which is present in Physical Medicine.
This range is accredited by Blockley’s vocals, which take heavy inspiration from Louis Leimbach of Lime Cordiale. In his singing arsenal is the rougher tone which is used in the faster paced songs and the clean soaring voice for the slower ballads.
Blockley is also the band’s bassist. Another big contributor to the band’s general sound is his ability to fade in and out of prevalence throughout the tracks. He has moments of impressive bass riffs and licks such as the ending of Passionfruit as well as his punchy, yet groovy lines driving Physical Medicine. Other times, he smartly lets the guitars or his own vocals take the lead, as well as playing along with drummer Tom Partingdon.
The two guitarists Harley Wilson and Asher Mclean have terrific chemistry and never fail to complement each other with solos and riffs. In Sweet Cocoon the solo plays to the beat of the fast guitar riffs in unison, turning the passage from a mere jam session into an orchestrated piece of music. Another great example of their partnership is on the track, Friend. The lead utilises a ‘dreampop’ tone, while the rhythm is an acoustic guitar, creating the perfect atmosphere for a tragic love song.
Wilson and McLean also do a great job using guitar effects to their advantage. Multiple effects were used throughout the EP such as distortion, reverberation, flanger and octaver. Alongside this was the ability to effortlessly switch between effects and clean tone in the middle of the songs like in Time Will Try.
There is a lot to like about this EP, and even more to look forward to about The Rions’ future. Their creative and musical range is a clear indicator that The Rions have the capacity to become a staple in Australia’s music scene in years to come; we can only hope to see their debut album released soon!
4 stars out of 5
