Review: Alan Lewis 'Wild' EP Launch

This is an archived post from our old website. Please excuse us if it looks a bit off, we are working through old posts and making sure they look tip top!

Nobody can say Alan Lewis isn’t a hard worker. At just 17 years old and still studying for his IB Diploma at Scarborough College, Alan released his debut EP ‘Wild’ at the Scarborough Fair Collection, Flower of May Holiday Park, with a lively and extravagant launch party offering an entertainment-packed night and precise attention to detail; from the large, colourful promotional banners to the complementary ‘Wild’ wristbands and bars of chocolate, the charity fundraising night was polished to a T.

Organised not only to promote Alan’s music, the night also planned to raise money for two worthy charities; namely the renowned BBC Children in Need appeal (raising £1.65 in royalties from every EP sold) and Legs for Angel, for a fellow student at Scarborough College (receiving all money raised on the launch night).

In addition to the fledgling talent of Alan himself, the artist was also supported by an abundance of capable young bands and singer/ songwriters; including the acoustic love ballads of Tyler Jack Smith, Bridlington’s rising talent Adam Chodan, popular Scarborough duo Connor & Nathen and the compelling Ashleigh McPherson. Lauren Varley’s chilled out acoustic vibes mellowed the audience with a melancholy yet catchy rendition of her latest single ‘Mr Coldfeet’, and I’m sure it can’t only have been me that the tunefully poignant ‘Last September’ left with a lump in their throat.

Tyler Jack Smith…

Adam Chodan…

Lauren Varley…

Driffield-based indie rock band The Heights set the tone for the headline artist himself with a plethora of well-executed rock and alternative covers, at times projecting a slightly Placebo-esque sound, which was both enjoyable and impressive to observe from a band so young.

After a slightly late start which only increased the audience’s anticipation further, event host Paddy Billington announced the much-anticipated arrival of the charismatic Alan Lewis to the stage, accompanied by an exhilarating laser show which accentuated the waiting faces of Alan and his backing singers. But the artist wasn’t ready to give the game away just yet; choosing to build the tension to his EP’s grand unveiling a while longer, he first teased the audience with a comprehensive range of originals and cover songs which showcased the artist’s versatility.

His energetic and emotionally-charged cover of ‘Dark Horse’ brought a rougher, grittier edge to Katy Perry’s original, proving that despite his youth, Lewis is not afraid of approaching recognisably popular music from an alternative angle in order to make a track his own. The same could also be said for Alan’s cleverly mixed medley of Miley Cyrus tracks, ‘Evolution of Miley’, which brought a swarm of young fans to the dance floor with admirable ease.

A personal favourite of mine, and possibly the highlight of the night aside from the headline EP track itself, ‘Ho Hey’ was a gorgeously smooth and dreamy duet between Alan and a female backing singer which I’m sure had many members of the audience pining for those long-lost first peals of pure unadulterated teenage love, with a simple, stripped-back acoustic accompaniment which gently carried the listener along for the journey on kid-gloved hands instead of distracting them from the lovers’ dream.

‘Fed Up’ was an angsty, heartfelt original track which I’m sure could pose as a perfect poster child anthem for jilted lovers in a post-break-up slump, with angry guitar strumming giving adrenaline-packed pace and direction to the raw emotional content of the lyrics.

‘Closer’, the first track off Alan’s EP to be performed, was a deliciously bittersweet acoustic offering which included some subtle references to Bob Dylan’s ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’, and made me feel as if I was sat in a rustic country pub, drinking my blues away, fuelled by the song’s pensive pondering and melancholy melody. Sometimes, a license to emotionally wallow feels gloriously indulgent; and that’s exactly what this track permitted me to do.

Alan’s version of Foster The People’s ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ was toe-tappingly contrasting, and, again, a big hit with the younger audience members as they jumped and twirled across the auditorium.
‘On My Way’ provided a refreshing change of tempo with Alan’s upliftingly poppy yet ever so slightly gravelly vocals and catchy guitar riffs, resulting in an end product that could be described as a cross between Tom Odell and The Kooks, with a subtle touch of female backing vocals adding a softer dimension.

‘Fine’ also had an indie-folk-rock vibe – the up-tempo acoustic accompaniment felt reminiscent of artists such as Laura Marling or Mumford and Sons, and turned the track into a sweetly romantic ballad which Alan’s female fans couldn’t help but warm to.

‘Torn’ was a mournful, piano and violin-backed tale of love’s labour lost, with earnestly raw lyrics which both saddened the heart and bred a bittersweet feeling of nostalgia tinged with wizened regret.

Then, finally came the song to end all songs; the track the audience had all been waiting for: Alan’s headline EP track and rite-of-passage anthem ‘Wild’, enticing spectators of all ages with its revolutionary advocation of hedonistic fun and freedom. In the words of Alan, “You’re gonna love it!”- and love it we did.

As I vacated Flower of May Holiday Park that night, I couldn’t help but feel impressed at the maturity with which not only Alan, but each of the young acts, had approached the launch night. Despite a couple of lighting and sound-based hiccups, none of the artists let minor technicalities affect their performance, and any nerves were quickly and covertly overcome.

I think it’s fair to say that this is only our first dose of our aural Alan Lewis diet – as the committed young singer/songwriter continues to make a name for himself on the folk-pop circuit, it’s exciting to imagine what might come next. All I can say is – watch this website!

Don’t forget, you can download ‘Wild’ over on iTunes, with £1.65 of each sale going to Children in Need