#fin cunningham

If you are twisting in the ebb and flow of a confusing relationship, then The Trusted’s most recent single, Criminals (seen / heard here) might be just what you are looking for! Exploring the whole idea of the rules that are created within the confines of a relationship and the breaking of those rules, even though the love remains, is what Criminals seems to represent:

“I broke your laws and then you left town My inner-visions turn me around I’ve been driving my pain into the ground So you look at me, like I’m your criminal We’re a complicated miracle I’m the baby in free-fall Could you ever love a criminal?”

Musically, Criminals is a mid-tempo, melody driven piece, full of sonic textures and electronic sounds, but not in any way overblown. This is a song that is entirely singable by the time you’ve heard it once, because the melody will stick with you. If it were crappy music, well then, that would be a problem, but the opposite is true. This is a great tune!

You can find some information on The Trusted on the band’s web site. The “About” section is pretty sketchy. There is no mention of the band members names or instruments, but Vodka can tell you that the names, at least, are Dave Batchelor, Dale Holt-Mead, Fin Cunningham and Tom Cunningham . That site does link to all of their social sites, but there appear to be no purchase links available. The only way to support the band, it would seem, is to use their Spotify link and stream their music. With just an EP and a single under their belts, The Trusted are a new and promising addition to the musical landscape.

The Trusted make their first appearance on Vodka with a great indie-pop tune, The Innocent (seen / heard here), that melds present-day indie-pop with 70′s post-punk. It’s a sound that works very well for this UK four-piece! There is something exuberantly positive in the feeling that this track evokes, even as the band sings of wanting more and being, perhaps, a little to willing to believe that they can have it all:

“Hanging from the edge of nothing with a pair of dangerous eyes I’m hungry for something else stuck in an endless suicide yeah will someone help me drag these heavy bones I’m stealing more than I can take so will you get up and tear down your house of cards and find a way to elevate We could have it all”

That sentiment is backed up by a perfect pop melody and a refrain that will have you singing it with the second listen:

“So wake up, yeah we feel the same way We can’t live without it so wake up, yeah we feel the same we play our souls like an instrument and sing for the innocent“

There isn’t a grand statement that can be made about the music’s complexity, but who cares about complexity when the execution is so good and the melody so clean that you can wash your face with it? Certainly not me. In the course of writing this review, I’ve found myself returning to the track a number of times-not to get something more out of it-but to re-capture that feel-goodness that literally bleeds from it.

So who are The Trusted? The band is made up of Dave Batchelor (drums), Dale Holt-Mead (guitar), and brothers Fin (bass guitar) and Tom Cunningham (vocals, guitar). It’s a strong combination. You can tell that the band feels, emotionally, through their instruments and vocals, which allows for a good balanced blend of everything. 

Currently the band has only a couple  of singles under their belts, but that is bound to change in the coming months. You can find more information on The Trusted, by heading up to their web site which has all of the social links you require. Check out this band and see if you, too, are left wanting more!