The event of a funeral is tragic – though firm plans are in place should demise ever grace the doors of a music journalist who, at time of writing, has eaten cereal for three meals today. A coffin is to be shuffled down the aisle of a church identical to how British curling test teams at the Winter Olympics 2014 conducted themselves. Firing it out of a cannon was previously rejected. Anyway, Would You Come to My Funeral seems like an apt song to play, to guilt those in attendance to feel sorry for those who are not. It is also a hell of a song from Crawlers, who now begin their deserved push toward their first album proper. It should be a smooth road with songs like this.
Slick, steady beats matched with sharp writing – it is the Crawlers standard by this point. Fears of familial yearnings are constructed well here, the ability Holly Minto holds to drift in and out of the rock-ready instrumentals and vocal swing, back to the personal flourishes, cements her and Crawlers as a promising project – as it has been since its first EP iteration. Motherhood worries and generational changes are always positive signs for new music, as the anxieties of parenthood grow for listeners of a similar age, it is clear to see Crawlers have their pulse on contemporary troubles. Would You Come to My Funeral may not strike as a track fearful of love but the procession which follows the loss of it is nicely explored here.
Minto’s lyrics are spot on here – the efforts made by separated parties trying to cut their losses and deal with the troubles they now find themselves in. Nicely charted by the guitar and rhythm work underneath, Crawlers still stand firm with their The Cure-like mentality and wall of sound flickers. Important cornerstones Crawlers do not need to drift from just yet – but certainly, pieces to play around with as they rumble toward their full release. Missing someone without wanting them is a rough place to find yourself – Would You Come to My Funeral explores it with such precision it brings up those broken pieces and exorcises what it can – like any good track with heartbreak at its core.
One of the more exciting releases from this year to close out the final months – Would You Come to My Funeral is an inevitable collection of love lost but the remarkable confidence and writing style at play here is the real winner. They, alongside the likes of The Last Dinner Party, Picture Parlour and the second coming of Yard Act, are leading the charge for another promising year of UK-based music. There is no greater pleasure than that, and Would You Come to My Funeral holds a lofty place ahead of Crawlers’ debut record. Minto and company are heading for a promising first LP, and it should be no surprise to those who have kicked around Crawlers for the last couple of years. Would You Come to My Funeral is a healthy response from a band building confidence in themselves and their more reflective, personal materials.
