Album Review | Spielbergs Exhilarate on This is Not the End
Spielbergs have released their highly anticipated debut album, This is Not the End. The full-length offering is a stunning first release, packed with entertaining, upbeat tracks.
‘Five On It’ is a fascinating opener and the vocals bleed wonderfully into the instrumental. Moving forward, follow-up track ‘Distant Star’ uses rhythmic synth and guitar, marrying sing-along moments to an infectious instrumental. ‘NFL’ is the loudest track on the album, built on choppy bass and open guitar moments that guide the hooks.
As the band tell a story from beginning to end, their introspection adds a sense of relief and fun to the less uplifting moments. On the likes of ‘We Are All Going To Die’, the band find themselves in danceable form. It has a perfect rhythm and razor-sharp riffs, marking the song as an early stand-out.
The band show a softer side on tracks like ‘Familiar’ and ‘McDonald’s (Please Don’t Fuck Up My Order)’ as they dive deeper into their emotional core. With the mix of songs on the album, there’s a broad range of styles and engaging narratives for everyone. Overall, this project could prove that Spielbergs are in it for the long haul.
‘You All Look Like Giants’ really works thanks to a careful blend of highs and lows. ‘4AM’ has a loud chorus with the vocalist declaring, “It’s 4AM and I feel like giving up,” over a rush of drums and guitar. With this kind of fist-pumping rock, and an intense vocal, we see a more vigorous side to Spielbergs.
The songwriting gives a clear understanding of the band’s passions. With dark humour and relatable lyrics, alongside infectious instrumentation, making for tender, powerful moments on the likes of ‘Bad Friend’, ‘Sleeper’, and ‘S.K.’. It’s these moments which really showcase the band’s individuality.
This is Not the End is markedly an introductory album for Spielbergs. As the final track ‘Forevermore’ brings the album to a close, there’s a sense that this record is only the first chapter in a longer story. Clearly, there’s much more to come from Spielbergs.
There’s an effortless transition with each song and the group’s melodic creativity is fascinating, veering from pop sensibility to punk rock instrumental. Importantly, there’s a real purpose for each song transition and a knack for injecting optimism into potentially hopeless moments. Better yet, these lifting moments occur over and over again. Instrumentally, the band have satisfying guitar lines running along the engaging percussion.
This rich mix of melody and storytelling showcases their emotional intensity as artists. With many breathtaking moments brought about by lung-busting vocals, in addition to clever instrumental pauses, they display mesmerising restraint throughout the album.
The band have an incredible knack for channelling their influences to create music they are passionate about. This record is an incredible taster of what is yet to come from Spielbergs. In their songwriting, they have already confronted some harsh realities of contemporary society, but managed to remain level-headed, knowing the best is yet to come.
This is Not the End has a unique sound. Spielbergs are creating their own production and, above all, distinguishing themselves from their peers. The band mesh a perfect combination of contemporary punk and indie-pop in a manner that marks this collection of songs as a success. Ultimately, this is just the beginning for Spielbergs, who are already showing clear signs of just how much they have to offer.
This is Not the End follows the release of breakthrough EP Distant Star.
