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From the get-go, the first song, ‘GROWINGPAINS, ’ attacks you with the band’s newly maturedstyle with moodier instrumentation, deepervocals, and lyrics more obviously hard-hittingthan anything from their debut. The next track,‘BASEMENT,’ is similarly more sassy and assertive,the punchy house track is confident, winkingat arrogance with the line “I don’t owe anyonean explanation/everyone thinks I’m amazing!”but fans know it’s all in good fun. The third track‘DEAR MISS HOLLOWAY’ is a stand-out for usnostalgic, unironic BUSTED fans at HATC, thecollaboration with Kevin Abstract is the cornerstoneof the album explained Matravers, thebridge between their debut and sophomoreouting. It’s youthful, optimistic, and a touch naivein the retelling of a crush on an old teacher, themore true to life “What I Go To School For,” perhaps.“Can I just - on the record,” starts Matravers aswe discuss the song’s meaning, “because peoplekeep messaging me and stuff. Miss Hollowayisn’t a real person. She’s a fictional character becauseif I had actually written a song about, likeyeah, someone who would now be quite an oldlady by name and have this be the way she foundout about it, that would be so weird, really inappropriate.So the character is fictional, but the situationis real” Noted. “While we are talking aboutit, I want to mention the music video for it. With allthe claymation, it took months to make that videoit was the most tedious thing, so I’ve got to shoutout William Child, the absolute genius who madeit - he also helped design the artwork for the albumas well, he is amazing, and we were reallystoked to be able to work with him.”As we round up our conversation, wishing theboys all the best on what will be a genuinelyeventful 2023, I reflect on the last track to the record‘FORTUNE COOKIE’ and its closing lines,words I think we should all, moving forward, liveby. “if you believe you’re in need of repair, takecare,”easy life’s second album, Maybe In Another Life,is available now.Words: Jade Poulters29