
For those who don’t know, L’Itch is a four-piece rock band hailing from Mechelen, Belgium. It’s quite hard to pinpoint what specific genre of rock they fall into because the songs they produce are quite literally a handful of sounds meant to evoke all kinds of emotions. Their artist profile states that they “want to know your dirty secrets” and “want to lure you out of your fortress” and I think that’s what best describes the sound. Like a thief in the night, it calls to you with a familiar style, then *bam* it whops you from out of nowhere. The same could be said about their song Fetch, Boy.
True to their biography, they provide such strong feelings of urges in every song—and this one is no different. I truly believe that every song they do emanates with raw power—the kind of power that doesn’t need to establish itself via a growl or a hard djent riff. Listening to its strengths, one would think this kind of track was performed by more than four people, but alas, it is not.
Musically, it reminds me most of the band Franz Ferdinand. The style and the beats feel like a modern interpretation of songs from said band and the era it belonged to. Of course, L’Itch brings it stronger with more angst and emotion, hence, the uniqueness in the sound. The delivery of the vocals feels more precise, powerful, and stronger—similar to a rallying call. It enhances the feel of the song more by providing a rebellious yell to rise above.
The choice of drum patterns with the simple basslines really highlights the contrast brought about by the strong twangy guitars and the high-pitched vocals—a hard and dark sound that highlights the parts it needs to show off. One could say that it’s very primal in nature. However, midway through the song, the shift in tempo brings about even a darker tone that it almost feels reminiscent of a Rush solo. The irregularity of the interlude allows the music to shine out even more before going back to its normal ways. Perhaps providing a sandwich effect that makes the whole thing even more delightful to listen to.
If there’s something I’m probably not sure of, it’s how the song ended. While I appreciate the abrupt end leading to a lead (pun intended) guitar riff, I’m not quite sure how to feel about the choice of sound added—a somewhat jazzy lending that feels tucked on. Though, it doesn’t really take much away from the song and I’d say the song still feels well-rounded. Otherwise, all of the elements combine to form one memorable masterpiece from this Belgian band.
Fetch, Boy is definitely a L’itch you can’t scratch with how long it will stay in your head.
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/l.itch
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