I’m going to open this review by talking about community. Creatives, artists, musicians, anyone, who conjures up anything out of thin air will always hold a special place in my heart, and those same people, would not be successful without community. I think here in Newcastle, we’re particularly lucky because our live music, cultural and creative community is stronger and more wholesome than a lot of other pockets of people scattered about the place and for this I am really thankful. An example of said community is the fact that Rachel Maria Cox’s (RMC) debut LP Untidy Lines was entirely crowd funded. Each and every person who contributed to the making of that record, is now a part of that record. Which is a hot damn beautiful thing.
Look, if you don’t have time to sit and read the 600 or so words that are about to spread out before you, fine, I’ll level with you straight up. This record is really really good. From start to finish. Untidy Lines mirrors the way you feel after you’ve finished watching your favourite guilty pleasure Rom-Com on Netflix. The one where everything works out fine and the protagonist is actually kind of relatable and you start to somehow in some way, despite all your heartbreaks, believe in love again.
I’ve let this entire album run through and live in my mind for a week or so now, and I’m so happy to say that I kind of love having it in there. From open to close the record is a brilliant mash of pop rock with a really vulnerable and intricate focus on words which is why I’ll always be a fan of their music. RMC has managed to create a sort of microcosm that paints a very wonderful picture of not only their world, but they way they perceives others that exist within it. As personal as the entire LP is however, the relatability factor will still make your heart swoon.
As much as I love the overall sound of the album, it’s the hopeless romantic in me that enjoys the entire record more with each and every listen. The lyrics are always raw and so incredibly honest, but most importantly believable. What good is good music if you can’t take pieces of your own life and mould them all together? It’s what music, especially good music, is really for after all. To hold our hand through the hardest or most wonderful patches of our lives and soundtrack them just like an above average teen themed rom com should.
Track wise I was especially glad to see ‘Writing Songs and Feeling Feelings’ included on the album, partly because I’ve seen this song performed live many a time and partly because it’s pretty much my own aesthetic. Minus the song part. The whole purpose of writing is about expressing the things that seem to live and swim around in our minds and it’s truly the most powerful thing. It’s also been one of my favourite songs of theirs for a really long time.
I love the undercover homage paid to the original kween of Newy Punk, Jen Buxton, on ‘If I’m Smiling (It’s because I’m Thinking About Zac Efron)’, with one of my all time favourite lines ‘I don’t want to f*** you I just miss you and I love you’ and it did make me high five my phone. As the opening track, it kicks the record off oh so nicely.
A stand out is also ‘No Chill’, featuring the cool kids from Jackie Brown Junior. The guest vocals by Maddy Mallis are punchy and quite frankly, made my heart beat just that little bit faster upon first listen, but I’d never admit that to anyone. If you have not yet listened to Jackie Brown Junior please do so immediately.
The full band RMC will always be my favourite RMC, simply because their words are suddenly propelled forward with the force by which they were always intended.
The bottom line? The record is incredible. I love the full band sound, everything has come together nicely and things just seem to work out for the best in the end. Listen to this record. Buy this record. Do good things.
Press photo by Cath Connell
