The brainchild of Canadian Erik Mut, Erik And The Worldly Savages is touring band which made crowds dance and scream all over Europe with their contagious folk punk energy playing over 250 shows across the continent and Break Free is their new EP, released on 23/11/2022.
EriK left his hometown of Toronto in 2008 to live in Belgrade, Serbia and inspired by the culture and sounds of Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean, he started Worldly Savages.
Not really sure what genre these guys fall under, I am going to go out on a limb and NOT categorise them at all. With elements of classic rock, alternative rock, folk rock and even some psychedelia thrown in for good measure, this is a band who really do blur the lines between genres.
The vocals are awesome, if a little quirky and individual, but this is what makes the EP stand out. A strong and powerful voice, the singer manages to get the messages of the tracks easily across to the listener as themes “go deep into the essence of being a global citizen, providing a nuanced perspective, including songs about the dark side; reflecting on topics like loneliness, alienation and cultural displacement.” Layered back up vocals accompany him throughout the EP, and these add depth to each track.
The music side of things is a bit eclectic too. Swaggering yet pounding drums feature heavily as do the riffs of the guitars and the funkiness of the bassline, but also featuring are traditional Eastern European instruments, electronic sounds and even some classical, stringed instruments.
The timing and pacing of the EP are flawless, each track leading perfectly on to the next, yet the listener not knowing what is coming next. The diversity on this EP is great, classic rock one minute and eastern European influenced the next, and this is the main message that Erik And The Worldly Savages has; “Go beyond your culture and explore the world. Break Free from your society.”
I thought this EP was great, quirky, individual, and unique! Music gives us the ability to be what and who we want, and Erik and his friends have certainly proven that with this EP!
This is a great feel-good EP and one that will have you dancing around one minute and pondering the world the next!
Impressive work!
Track Listing:
1) Brainwashed
2) Dry Fear
3) Sunshine
4) Glass Cage
5) Leaving
6) Burn My Life
This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum