The Modes’ newest single WTGD is a gritty, unpolished, and full of attitude track. The Modes are a two piece band from Brighton consisting of Daniel Seccombe, on vocals and guitar, and Jon Thorley, on drums and synths. The combination of the two musicians certainly does give them a unique sound which can be characterised with two words – dirty and dark. WTGD is a teaser from their live EP set to be released on 12 July and will definitely be worth a listen.
WTGD showcases their love of droning synthesisers and grungey rock riffs. There is a definite old style rock influence to this track with the emphasis on dirty guitar lines and the very organic feeling drum beats. The introduction to this track seems almost like an experiment with the synths but is very intriguing.
The guitar entry will grab anyone’s attention and have you grooving along with it. There is a badass attitude to this track that reflects itself in the lyrics of the song as well as the music. WTGD is a fun and steely track that is very easy to get into.
Listening to previous tracks such as their debut single Risk Taker and Not this Time, it is easy to see that The Modes already have an established sound that is easily recognisable. One of the characteristics of this sound is a very raw and unpolished vocal line, which does add to their gritty tone, but makes some of the lyrics difficult to understand. However, it is obvious that their emphasis is really on the music behind the lyrics.
It is easy to connect them to their self proclaimed influences such as Wolfmother and The Black Keys, so if you are a fan of these two bands, you should definitely check out The Modes. They have a sound that gives the impression that they would be just as good, if not better, in a live performance.
The end of the track seems to lose some steam which is unfortunate. While the synth drones on, the guitar seem to play for the sake of filling space which leaves you glancing at your watch a bit. But cut a few bars off and you have quite an enjoyable track. A little more creativity with the synth could also step this track up a bit. The Live E.P is set to be released on 12 July and is sure to be filled with punchy dynamic tracks like this one.
Words by Gloria McNeely
