After publishing “Flowers To The Concrete,” a critically acclaimed extended play carrying five excellent songs, PHWOAR returns with another fine piece of sonic artistry that will unquestionably appeal to anyone who appreciates cleverly composed and flawlessly performed alternative rock music. “So Much Better” is the latest standalone single by this Birmingham-based duo, arriving with many innovations in songwriting, composing, arranging, and producing, yet keeping all those signature moves they’ve been known for years. Lyrically, “So Much Better” criticizes internet culture, pointing out how social media controls forces particular habits, behaviour, consumerism, and an obsessive need for likes, shares, etc. It’s a relatable composition that demonstrates how excessive usage of the internet and social media can also affect our behaviour in real life. Sonically, perhaps PHWOAR explore the fundamental elements of alternative rock music, but you’ll definitely stumble upon some of the finest properties borrowed from many complementary music genres, like garage, post-punk, punk rock, indie, etc. As usual, they cleverly, tastefully, and expertly use all these additional sonic ingredients as more than necessary enhancements, accentuations, and decorations to elevate the track to an entirely new level while simultaneously remaining loyal to the primary sonic direction. This approach to songwriting, composing, arranging, and producing music showcases PHWOAR’s dedication to the craft, as all these complementary styles and techniques, eloquent lyricism, and ability to breathe fresh air into the alternative rock genre bring the best qualities of the band together. Therefore, “So Much Better” is one of those tracks that will not only appeal to the longstanding fans of the genre but also to anyone looking for a catchy, memorable, and one-of-a-kind listening experience.
As soon as you press play, you’ll immediately realize that PHWOAR thought about everything while assembling this fine piece of sonic artistry. Each vocal, sonic, and rhythmic maneuver has its place and purpose here, building a wall of sound that immensely supports the important message carried through soulful, passionate, sincere, confident, emotive, and powerful vocal lines. The vocal performance plays a significant role here, as it serves as a centerpiece of the song, elevating everything to new heights, commanding attention, and guiding listeners during each segment. You’ll notice how these vocal harmonies seamlessly float around, balancing low, mid, and high notes with such precision and finesse, emphasizing everything PHWOAR intended to achieve with this track. Besides decorating all those segments and instrumentations, you’ll notice how these vocal harmonies bring more emotion, aggression, melody, and complexity to an already intricate song structure. There are also additional vocal layers, back vocals, and sing-alongs, giving “So Much Better” an anthemic vibe. In the meantime, the guitars shape a perfect backdrop for all the vocals to shine upon. You’ll immediately notice those post-punk chord themes and melodies, decorated with generous servings of gain for an extra punch. The guitar works expand into more complex riffs as the song progresses, leaning towards classic alternative rock, garage, and punk rock styles. PHWOAR stacked multiple layers of guitars for extra power, heaviness, and rawness, merging aggression, energy, melody, and harmony with such precision rarely heard and seen on a contemporary music scene.
Of course, “So Much Better” wouldn’t sound this good without the rock-solid rhythm section. Beneath all those lush guitar works, an equally impressive, vividly hearable, warm-sounding bassline rumbles, offering more than necessary heaviness, clarity, and depth while simultaneously binding the mentioned instrumentations with rhythmic sequences. It’s important to mention that these rich, deep, dense, and heavy low-end notes give more groove and detail to an already complex structure. The exceptional drumming keeps everything together while contributing groove and pace. You’ll hear how all those cleverly assembled, flawlessly performed, well-accentuated, energetic beats, breaks, fills, and other percussive acrobatics cut through the ambiance with such precision and finesse. As you can see, each instrument has its place and purpose here, making “So Much Better” such a memorable listening experience worth repeating over and over again. PHWOAR poured heart and soul into this track, resulting in one of the greatest alternative rock songs in recent years. Tremendous knowledge, experience, skills, and talent shine through their message, vocal performance, impressive guitar works, intricate basslines, and energetic beats, proving they write and compose tracks straight from the heart. “So Much Better” is a brilliant alternative rock track that unquestionably breaks the rules and shapeshifts the boundaries, showcasing that even long-established music genres like these can still invigorate, elevate, and educate the masses. Therefore, head to your favorite streaming platform and listen to it loud!
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