Having performed their last show under the name easy life almost two years ago, hard life have returned with the subdued and introspective onion. The band’s third studio album carries heavy emotional weight and no shortage of promise.
As the name suggests, onion is a heavily layered record that balances raw vulnerability with vibrant beats and catchy choruses. Fans have grown used to this nuanced equilibrium across their first two studio albums, but the music has never felt quite so personal to lead singer Murray Matravers.
The two interludes ‘:(fever:(‘ and ‘are you sti11 watching?’ included real phone calls of Murray’s with his phone provider and co-producer Taka Perry respectively. The latter feels especially intimate as we hear Murray express fears that Taka has distanced himself, offering an almost uncomfortable glimpse into their creative relationship.
It’s this vulnerability from Murray that heightens the emotional weight of each track, with ‘are you sti11 watching?’ flowing seamlessly into ‘panorama’, which opens with the lyric “let’s just be honest.” This vulnerability gives us a peek into Murray’s mindset following the Easyjet lawsuit that forced the band to rebrand. He even admitted on ’OGRE’ that he’s “spent a fortune on psychiatry” and ‘panorama’ reflects on how a shift in perspective can help you see the full picture.
It’s difficult to listen to the album without hearing echoes of that legal dispute and Murray’s reflections on its emotional toll, as well as the band’s brief hiatus. This is most palpable through the redacted reference to Sir Stelios Haj-Ioannou on ‘tears’ and the entirety of the lyrics on ‘proximityeffect’ removed upon release.
Continuing Murray’s trend of whacky metaphors for heavy topics, ‘crickets!!!’ offers a vivid depiction of ghosting, where he still feels like “millions of [eyes] stare me down” despite the person he reached out to not seeing him. The zoomorphic surveillance imagery amplifies Murray’s feelings of isolation, suggesting that those judging him don’t truly understand him.
‘:(fever:(‘ and ‘proximityeffect’ continue this emotional throughline. The latter, originally teased with lyrics referencing the band’s legal struggles and the departure of bassist Sam Hewitt, was ultimately released as a fully instrumental track. Its repetitive drums and hi-hats leave a strong impression: a soundscape that captures both hopefulness and voicelessness, even if that wasn’t the song’s original intent.
However, these potential issues surrounding ‘proximityeffect’ – and the resulting cancellation of onion’s physical release – highlight some of the album’s shortcomings. A few tracks, including ‘tele9raph hill’ and ‘end credits.’, feel underdeveloped, hinting at more than they actually deliver.
The lead singles – ‘tears’, ‘othello’, ‘OGRE’ and ‘y3llow bike’ – stand out as the strongest offerings, pairing gorgeous, spacious production with compelling, witty lyricism. These tracks feel closest to the signature sound of easy life and serve as a reminder of the band’s high ceiling. But elsewhere, the album is at times weighed down by the emotional fatigue of lawsuits, lineup changes and romantic breakups.
While onion doesn’t quite reach the high musical standard hard life have set in the past, it offers Murray Matravers a much-needed outlet; a chance to unpack everything that’s happened and begin again. The album is a statement of intent: hard life are back, and ready to reclaim the form that fans know they’re capable of.
Words by Aaron Edwards
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