The Trudy – Outside Time (2023)
With an enthusiastic kick from the band, listening to The Trudy is like being wrapped in a swooning ball of energy. While The Trudy only reached our ears in 2021, the veteran band had been entertaining the masses since the late 1970s. Wasting no time in making their mark on UK music, the Trudy wove their melodies into the underground post-punk scene gaining notoriety among loyal followers.
Since 1989 with their single ‘Countdown To Love’ to their 1991 album Tune In To Trudy Love-Ray, their music was well-received until it was cut at the knees with a brief hiatus (ten years, give or take). After each member worked on solo material, a combined desire to make music as The Trudy brought everyone together once again. Since 2006, The Trudy released acclaimed singles, featured on numerous albums, received coverage from notable publications, rave reviews on radio stations, and eventually our ears in 2021 with ‘Dear Sancho’. So, very brief history behind us; now we move on to more current things.
Following the single ‘Every Story Ever Told’, the first release after two years, the hard-hitting foursome gave us another shove with the mini-album Outside Time. Containing both ‘Dear Sancho’ and ‘Every Story Ever Told’, Outside Time is a sonic journey through the iconic 70s/80s rock era. ‘Where The Roses Grow’ is a nostalgic treat with its soft, flowing, almost Fleetwood Mac-inspired sound, including the Stevie Nicks vocal obscurity.
Stepping up a notch, ‘Dear Sancho’ follows with heavier drums and powerful guitars clinging to Melissa Jo Heathcote’s ethereal voice. Almost a mystical fog swirling about your head transporting you to some fairy-like world. Interestingly, despite the magical swirls about your body, the scorching guitars slice through with a classic rock flair.
Retaining a heartwarming tone, ‘Every Story Ever Told’ is a kaleidoscopic folk twirl of empowerment and joyful freedom. Think spinning about in a field of gold with the wind whipping your hair and every care flowing out in absolute bliss, then you might have an idea of the emotion behind ‘Every Story Ever Told’. The addition of underlying percussion merely enhances this light-hearted euphoria. Followed by the harder 70s rock style in ‘Giants Theme’, The Trudy prepares you for the fierce sound to come: a breath before the storm.
From a blissful twirl to a smash of pounding crashes hitting you head-on with heavy rock glory, The Trudy stomps in with ‘Pop Pop’. With pounding drums, scorching guitars and a badass switch of vocals from flighty to fierce, ‘Pop Pop’ captures the essence of punk mushed in a classic rock fury. For me, this transition from a soft to completely smashing sound showcases The Trudy’s versatility and natural skill. A brash ending to ‘Pop Pop’ seems to toss you down roughly but opens the gates for ‘Arrival’.
For me, one of the most intriguing aspects of Outside Time is the opening and closing tracks. A brief half-minute flow of light folk-rock-inspired sounds begins the album in ‘Dawn’. Not only is it a great introduction to the journey’s folk thread, but it also calms you by saying, “This is going to be good”. Outside Time then ends with a bold slice of rock in ‘Arrival’. Taking these opening and closing songs with all the tracks inside, it is as if The Trudy is preparing you for reality from innocent youth to brazen adulthood.
For more from The Trudy, check out their official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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