We Are The West – “Any Day of the Week” (single)

BANDCAMP: https://wearethewest.bandcamp.com/album/the-golden-shore

2018 has been a banner year for acoustic music, and We Are The West serve up their own sumptuous slice of pastoral reflection in their new song “Any Day of the Week,” a fresh cut from the album The Golden Shore. We Are The West push the limits between traditional folk music and the candor of more modern alternative influences in their sound, and “Any Day of the Week” doesn’t shy away from indulging in both sides of their dynamic sonic profile. A relaxing, easygoing string number that prefers to employ old school instrumentation and velvet soft vocals as opposed to over-amplified shards of white noise to make a statement, this single and its accompanying music video are an excellent picture window into the aesthetic of its intriguing composers.

“Any Day of the Week” is a patient song, evenly produced with adequate precision and centering on lead vocalist Brett Hool’s whisper-like singing. It’s no surprise that this track puts such a strong emphasis on Hool, who demonstrates that he is clearly the lynchpin in We Are The West’s craftsmanship by tying all of the sounds we’re hearing together under the gilded warmth of his words. The lyrics aren’t as essential to the song’s palate as the actual play of the band is, but they aren’t throw away verses designed solely for the purpose of exhibiting Hool’s abilities. Thanks to the ultra-clean mix we’re able to appreciate all of the intricately wound details in We Are The West’s execution, which is very on point in this single.

WATCH THE VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/270536773

We Are The West has a resonating glow in their tonality that can only be described as sounding and feeling remarkably organic. You can tell that the chemistry between the three band members isn’t artificial as they dexterously play off of each other’s pace like a well-oiled machine. I think that this trio would likely sound even more immaculate in person where we’re able to see their cohesiveness in action, but nevertheless this single does a perfectly fine job of capturing what We Are The West are all about as an artistic entity. Is it imperfect? Sure, but I’ve always found that music that is too occupied with staying on an even keel typically gets old a lot faster than freeform material like this does.

The music video for “Any Day of the Week” is as simple as the song’s compositional structure is and only further goes to show that We Are The West aren’t interested in augmenting their sound with a lot of frills or unnecessary accents. You know a band is onto something pretty good when they’re able to pick up their instruments, shoot a video in an empty field and still make a noteworthy impression on the audience, and that’s exactly what they do here. Audio enthusiasts who crave the bucolic vibes of a singer/songwriter’s ballad alongside the sophistication of postmodern pop should make a point to check this single out the next time they’re shopping for new music – I have a feeling they won’t regret it.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/album/7BxyTRw6DL4ZxPTLg3T092

Mindy McCall