Following the colourful creative storytelling of his band’s 2024 album The Waking Giant, Georgia’s Ukulele-rock pioneer Winchester 7 returns with a five-track EP that’s distinctly more grounded, and devoted to the memories and nostalgia of snapshots or Postcards from a life.
Beginning with the huge rock anthem Just a Crush, we’re welcomed into the centre of a live indie gig – soaring guitars, hopeful chords, distortion and a mighty bassline. The song follows those impassioned indie vocals from Winchester, through a cascading arrangement of hi-hats and live band energy that furthers the emotional poignancy of the song. We reflect on a broken heart, and move on with optimism and possibility.
Arrangement always matters, and the softness and swaying chord-pattern of a beautifully written and wave-like Still Waters follows the explosive opener perfectly well.
All the more reflective, poetic yet still personal, Still Waters is one more postcard that looks back on a sense of unity and happiness that’s both individual and relatable in its romanticism and introspection. ‘Some days it feels like I’m my only friend’ is one of many simple but striking lyrics, and a fine example of the unrelenting humanity and heart of all things Winchester 7.
Next we get a superb surf-rock anthem, complete with a guitar solo and a classic, catchy hook, in the form of the Southern Rock and harmonised gem Ride That Pony. A memorable favourite from the new EP, this track feels like something joyfully old school from the likes of the Eels or even the Pixies. The style is Winchester 7’s own though, in reality, and the songwriting and performance forever highlights that authenticity.
The stripped-back and vulnerable single Holiday is fourth in the set-list, the unplugged ukulele taking things back to their roots, and the song blending painful contemplation with subtle positivity in an again relatable, poignant yet comforting manner.
Wrapping things up is Winchester 7’s cover of You Again, by the Lottery Winners. This take is unique, noting keys and synths across a colourful landscape, and featuring a second voice from a female singer for a clear and likable dynamic. That balance of warmth and the ache of nostalgia fits perfectly within the themes and musical moods of the Postcards EP, and brings things to a wonderfully dreamy and engaging finish.
As with most of his repertoire, Winchester 7’s music connects all the more likably with each revisit. There’s always something so genuine and raw about these honest indie captures and musings, and Postcards is perhaps the very best example of that quality.
A fine collection of catchy, uplifting but somewhat heart-breaking songs, which melodically and musically act as a timeless antidote to the swathes of animated, artificially intelligent production that’s currently flooding the airwaves.
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