ONLY THE POETS PROVE THEY ARE ‘ONES TO WATCH’ WITH BRAND NEW EP

EP REVIEW | ONLY THE POETS – ONE MORE NIGHT by Martha Munro

From playing university house parties to a European headline tour, selling out 1600-capacity venues across the continent, English pop band Only The Poets have become one of the most prominent emerging acts in the UK. After supporting Louis Tomlinson on the European leg of his 2022 world tour, the band catapulted into a new listening audience and released three new singles and two EPs that same year, building up their discography and sound to lead up to their latest work, released 31st May; One More Night. With this energy-packed, emotional, nine-track triumph of an EP, strung together with studio, live and demo versions alike, Only The Poets prove their talent and promise to the world once more.

The EP kickstarts with title track and lead single ‘One More Night‘: a party-perfect opener. Since its release in February, this song has quickly become one of the band’s most streamed tracks – and it’s not hard to see why. With its rapid, lively tempo and strong drum beat foundation from Marcus Yates, this song establishes an undeniable magnetic energy that could make even the most boring traffic jam feel like a summer night at the club. With vocals reminiscent of James Arthur, lead singer Tommy Longhurst brings a coarse, strong, emotional quality to not only this song, but every track in this body of work, amplifying the echoing background vocals to give it that live-performance, full-audience feel. The band also displays an expert use of the pop formula with this powerful opening track, using brief vocal isolations at the end of the pre-chorus to introduce an explosive, addictive chorus that will become an immediate and welcome earworm.

Leading us further into the EP is second single Gone By Now. By beginning with the atmospheric duo of muted guitar strums and a single thumping drum beat, this track introduces a sense of building tension, heightened once again by some pre-chorus breaks in instrumentation further into the song. Despite having a more laid-back beat than the preceding, power-filled One More Night, Only The Poets’ ability to create a catchy, satisfying melody is only highlighted further in Gone By Now. The electronic and the instrumental, partnered with the edgy, echoing guitar played by Clem Cherry, are layered throughout the song to give it a more full, rounded sound. That being said, due to the more diminished energy levels and somewhat repetitive nature of this track, it still leaves something to be desired. As this is only the second track, more development could be used, particularly in the last chorus, to give it a more memorable edge.

However, this EP by no means leaves you feeling disappointed. This is made especially clear in third track I Don’t Wanna Be Your Friend which has an immediately more sensual sonic quality, bringing the listener’s interest back to the forefront with a twanging guitar motif that supports the smooth vocals. The lyrics here evoke a sense of magnetic bitterness and complicated desire to match the overall angsty sound and this is only solidified in the chorus, founded by Andy “Roo” Burge’s earthy bass. With frequent pockets of an electronic rush, the chorus of this track is yet another that you simply won’t be able to get out of your head. The song is brought to its true height in the final, climactic chorus using Longhurst’s impressive, high and gritty vocals to epitomise the sense of tension displayed in every intertwining aspect of this song.

Next up is All This Time, launching us back into the electric party atmosphere with a wholly satisfying and energising melodic journey. Yates’ poignant drum patterns seem to be the ultimate amplifier throughout this track, supported by Cherry with his layered electric guitar, strumming in the spotlight through the second verse. The themes of time, nostalgia and reflection in this song’s lyrics are present and prominent throughout One More Night, making it an utterly cohesive body of work with a clear sound and sentiment. In the extended final chorus, this lyrical aspect is only enhanced by the use of counter-melodic backing vocals from Longhurst which accompany his longer, higher notes to create a more open sound and leave the listener on a high note.

With an immediately more sombre, emotional piano introduction, fifth track It’s Okay (Not To Be Okay) provides some mid-mix sonic contrast which strips back the band’s overall sound and yet only offers more. All four previous songs were released as singles prior to the EP’s release; it’s clear that this new next track introduces a fresh sound to the colourful collection we already knew. As the title suggests, the lyrics are based around mental health, particularly around support. With lines such as “Lay your weapons down / Let your demons out / I know it’s not so easy”, Longhurst’s voice is supportive in its strength and message alike. But the song isn’t just composed of piano and vocals all the way through. An acoustic guitar line enters for the chorus, rounding out the sound to lead into a second verse containing a building drum beat from Yates. This captures the song’s emotional and sonic journey with a sense of fullness which is epitomised in the final chorus. The plethora of additional backing vocals and harmonies used here creates an all-encompassing and supportive sound, giving a sense of community and strengthening the song’s lyrical meaning: you are not alone.

The theme of mental health and growth is carried on into sixth track Change with a fast tempo and powerful pairing of Yates on drums and a melodic bassline from Burge. The lyrics here are once again focused on the impact of human connection and how pivotal it is the process of change. The bridge of this song is a real excitement-builder; the previous overlapping lines are heavily reduced here to isolate Longhurst’s voice and accumulate tension. A brief burst of the previous energetic layering only intensifies this, giving the whole song a sense of organised chaos and dynamic quality.

Following Change, the band have provided fans with an absolute treat: two brand new versions of the EP’s lead single. First up is One More Night (Alt Version), which strips away the original song’s running-anthem quality but maintains its captivating energy. An acoustic guitar replaces the electric but the echoing elements are maintained, meaning that this alternative version is contrasting enough to give it a fresh lease of life, made most apparent by the switch to a lower key, but not so different that its well-loved aspects aren’t lost. The lead vocals remain strong and angsty but are paired with backing vocals that are more mellow to match the stripped-back acoustic feel. And impressively, the band manages to show off yet another aspect of this song’s personality with the following One More Night (Live Version); nothing is as good as the real thing and Only The Poets are the proof. In just the first few moments, even before a word is sung, the crowd responds with a collective scream which only becomes louder as the lyrics are chanted back at the band. Cherry and Yates clearly take particularly central roles onstage as an additional, high, fast-paced guitar line arches over the chorus and the drums smash the final section into life, epitomising that concert adrenaline through headphones alone.

To close the EP we have Black And Blue (Demo), a classic heartbreak ballad about unrequited love that brings One More Night to a vulnerable close. The heavenly, raw duo of just voice and acoustic guitar is especially impactful and meaningful after the previous, wild live track, leaving listeners with a sense of closeness as the EP comes to its end.

There’s no doubt that Only The Poets are the band to watch this year, whether it be in the charts or in person. Not only are they set to play at Reading and Leeds Festivals in August, but a UK tour is also lined up, with dates scheduled through June and August. Interested? They might be playing at a venue near you! Don’t miss the chance to see this playful pop band live and check out the dates listed below. As well as this, the band have set up an initiative to provide tickets to low and no income fans; Only The Poets are actively fighting the elitist modern culture around music consumption, with tickets for all and magnetic tunes to match.