EP Review: The Wait by HOLMES

Review by: Kaylan Rotman

The Wait is over. This winter, English Indie Pop Rock artist HOLMES launched his passionate banger of an EP exploring the intricacies of love, lust, heartbreak, and the cycles that come with it. Throughout the project, HOLMES channels his inner rock star, stroking his audience’s heartfelt fire through heated vocals and emotional lyrics. HOLMES’ debut EP consists of tracks “If It Was Up To Me,” “Never Learning,” “Love Me Not Him,” “Call Me,” and an acoustic version of “If It Was Up To Me.” This collection ebbs and flows through stories of yearning, regret, passion, and heartbreak, but always comes back to the point HOLMES can’t seem to dodge: his love burns deep.

The project opens up with a confident chronicle where HOLMES dances through both his lover’s mind and his own perspective with his lyrics. “If It Was Up To Me” HOLMES sings, “you’d have been there from the start.” He expresses to his lover that no matter how much they are in their head and left questioning themselves, their thoughts will always run back to him. The song initially begins with the spotlight on his beautiful vocals and progressively builds by adding in drums and a few different guitar parts. Finally, it explodes into the chorus with a complete rock ensemble, acting as a volcanic musical unit. After the elements all come together, the song coasts through to the end interlaced with HOLMES’ passion and confidence in his role as his lover’s irresistible and true anchor. The lyrics twirl together, leaving a perfectly tied bow on top of a package delivered to this lover's front door step, letting them know exactly how he feels about them and what could have been (or could maybe still be).

Then, The Wait charges into a dark and angsty number that tells quite a different story. From the start, “Never Learning” oozes a feeling of regret and heartbreak, a product of an exceptional equation composed of grungy backing instrumentals and HOLMES’ lighter, heartfelt vocals and clever lyrics. HOLMES drives home the theme of darkness by utilizing divine analogies, like that of leaves crumbling and falling off a tree, to convey his feeling of heartbreak and frustration of cyclical patterns within his love life.

Track 3 introduces a new level of vulnerability. In this big, classic style rock ballad in which HOLMES begs for them to “Love Me Not Him,” listeners can feel how passionately and desperately he’s reaching out for his love in a last ditch effort to be chosen. The guitar solos interlaced throughout the chorus add a dimension to the song as well, simulating the rush that a heart might feel when a relationship is on the line.

Coming down after “Love Me Not Him,” The Wait then dips into a slower lighthearted serenade with a similar yearning undertone. “Call Me” is a call out to a lover he feels like he may have lost, but that he still needs so deeply. HOLMES expresses his loneliness as well as his anxiety that his feelings may not be reciprocated. The composition of this song flows steadily, supported by a hopeful guitar tune and a soft, angelic backing vocal.

The Wait then comes to a close with an acoustic rendition of the opening track. This stylistic choice by HOLMES is very clever. By beginning and ending with the same song, he brings the entire EP full circle with a reprise. He started the collection with a fiery, angsty, and passionate version, but after going through The Wait’s emotional journey, he seems to reach a point where it feels like he has simply just been through it and sings the song more gently.

Ending the EP with the “If It Was Up To Me (Acoustic)” is a statement. HOLMES’ vocals are the center of the track, backed only by the strum of an acoustic guitar and soft piano. This shows us HOLMES taking back his power and saying his piece once again. This individual power paired with the meaning of the song itself leaves listeners with a striking perception of his personal artistry.

The Wait is a passionate personification of heartbreak and love that will leave a lasting impression on listeners everywhere. It’s safe to say HOLMES is breaking into the music industry with force, leaving quite the impact with this debut EP.

“I felt that this EP really showcased who I am and what I aim to bring. I want to create music that people can lose themselves in and this is only the start,” -HOLMES for Tongue Tied Magazine

Make sure to listen to The Wait and Keep up with HOLMES by following him on Tiktok and Instagram!