Not From England, The Unlabeled Band
On November 11th of this year, the LA-based band Not From England released their first full-length album, Guest House—it is a quintessential, raw debut that is reminiscent of other young bands paving a sound for themselves. Its heartfelt lyrics and fuzzy bass lines might prompt the listener to call it a rock and roll album, but please don’t bother.
One of the guitarists and vocalists in Not From England, Leo Blumenfield, believes that the rock genre is too broad to properly label modern music. “I think that labels and genres, in general, are very outdated,” Blumenfield explained. “For me, it can’t describe music from long ago and then also describe current music that sounds totally different. When I think of rock, I just think of classic rock.”
Instead of comparing them to traditional rock bands, we ought to focus on Not From England’s unique stylistic choices and sound. On Guest House, the warmer guitar tones and dynamic opening riffs are what shine through. While it’s not a concept album, the overarching result is raw and youthful. Many lyrics focus simultaneously on the past and the future, such as this melancholy verse on “Nylon Pipes”.
“Well I could make it through if I try,
But time just seems to pass me by,
And I could make it through with you,
But it would hurt a lot too.”
From the first few tracks, the album has a distinctly collaborative nature. All four band members (Cass Blum, DeRon Munroe, Beckett Pasdar, and Leo Blumenfield) participate in writing and singing the songs, which creates an album that keeps the listener surprised by every track.
For Blumenfield, “music is often better when there are more people involved and more opinions. Especially with [Not From England], the best songs we make are when we collaborate.”
The four began playing together in their hometown of Los Angeles during high school, back when they chose the name Not From England (which is NOT an homage to the British Invasion, just four teen boys thinking quite literally). Although there were setbacks to being one of the youngest bands in a lineup, these performances gave them valuable knowledge on how to put on a magnetic show.
“A good show is where the crowd has an energy, and you don’t have to do much – it just happens,” said Blumenfield. “I’m always trying to connect with the band as we are playing. That is the best part – having chemistry.”
Over the years, Not From England has played gigs across California, released multiple singles, and been compared to every band from Sonic Youth to the Smiths. For Blumenfield, it’s not about labeling the band but focusing on each song’s sound. One could find similarities between Not From England and bands of the past, but before comparing them to others, try enjoying them for what they are, rock or not.