After nearly a year of anticipation after their song “Idaho,” The Old Ways have finally given the people what they want and dropped their first EP, Blurs. The long-awaited EP includes five fun songs to soundtrack your summer – painting pictures of dreamy, humid nights and long drives with the roof down. Blurs is an EP out of time, its dreamy, space-like quality simultaneously having the power to bring back fond memories of the past while creating the feelings of memories you have yet to make.
The title track, “Blurs,” is the album’s strong start— literally! Vocalist John Darrouzet literally starts the track powerfully belting the refrain of the song, “I don’t want you to say no!” setting the tone for the EP from the get-go. “Blurs” is one of those songs that sounds like it’s even better live, teeming with fun little guitar riffs and piano runs perfect for an amplifier.
“Song 72” is a nostalgic track that somehow embodies the feel of modern alternative music while still retaining a vintage sound to bring the energy back down from “Blurs.” From the underlying brass instruments to the airy background vocals, the song has a reminiscent air to it— like you’ve heard it before in a coffee shop or in a dream you can’t remember. It’s a song straight out of your favorite ‘80s movie, playing on a jukebox while the two main love interests slow dance across the checkerboard floors of a classic diner after dark. He’s looking at her, she’s looking at him and you know that this is going to be their song by the end of it. Whatever your fantasy, “Song 72” is a versatile track, one that doesn’t get old and changes every time you hear it depending on when and where you hear it play.
“Autumn’s Reprise” and “Lazy Sunflower” are the more carefree tunes of the five, sounding like songs you’d make a summer montage to. You can envision videos of friends pointing cameras at each other to catch candid smiles and laughs, fading in and out to the song’s upbeat tempo. The tracks might even evoke visions of the Malibu coastline against a fierce, fading sunset, hands sticking out of car windows, fingers waving over the distant, moving landscapes. Overall, “Autumn’s Reprise” and “Lazy Sunflower” are solid, more laid-back tracks perfect for adventures of any season.
Last but not least, we have “Human Race” to bring Blurs home. The song is the band’s biggest hit on Spotify with over 1,000 plays— and for good reason too. Arguably the alt bop of the summer, “Human Race” is that song you’d play with the windows down, screaming the lyrics to with a car full of friends. It’s a head banger that makes you want to get up and just dance. With Darrouzet’s powerful vocals and a lot of fun instrumentals (including a funky little guitar solo), “Human Race” is irresistibly catchy, urging you to put it on repeat for any occasion, whether it’s for a dance party with friends or just yourself.
To top it all off, the track takes lets you down gently from its chaotic, rebellious tone with a calm ending note, leaving you the same way The Old Ways always do: wanting more.
Take a listen below:
